The Master Six
by Sean Mills
Summary: In the world of Pokemon, a horrific event leads one young girl on a quest for revenge against those who ruined her life: Team Rocket. Be sure to check out the new sequel: Master Six 2: Truth and Consquences!
1.

The Master Six  
  
Chapter One  
  
"Heather," my father said, "the time has come."  
  
He kneeled down in front of me.  I was very young back then, and I guess I didn't really understand what was happening.  All I knew was that me, my father, and his Growlithe, Red, had come to my Aunt Janet's house in Cerulean City.  It was evening, and it was kinda dark outside.  There was a slight rain, Cerulean City was supposed to be a watery town.  
  
We were at the end of the walkway that leads up to Aunt Janet's house.  I had run up and down this walkway a hundred times.  Me, and my pet Pidgey, Maxx.  Pidgey was with me now, standing with my father.  
  
"Follow me Heather," he said as he took my hand and led me up to the front door, "we mustn't keep your Aunty waiting."  
  
"Yes daddy."  
  
My mother died one year ago, and my father hadn't been the same since.  He was always in a dark mood, Red even seemed to share the feeling with my father.  But, my father was still there for me.  Until now, now he really seemed to be depressed.  That was why we were at Aunt Janet's.  
  
We reached the door.  
  
"Heather, I love you," my father said with tears in his eyes, "I...I don't know when I will see you again.  Ever since your mother...left...I haven't been able to get my life back together.  I don't think I can take care of you anymore.  Now, we've talked about this, and you are not going to give Aunt Janet a hard time are you?"  
  
"No daddy, I remember what you told me."  
  
"Heh, of course dear.  Now, me and Red are going to go off and find us a new life eh?  We'll go and become rich kings, and then we'll come for you and everything will be wonderful again.  Don't worry, I'll come back for you.  You stay here with Max and Aunt Janet, they'll take care of you.  Won't you Max?"  He rubbed the top of Max's head the way he always does, and Max shook and looked up at him that way he always does.  
  
"Don't worry daddy," I said to him, "I'll be alright.  I'm a big girl (5 1/2), I can take care of myself."  
  
"Of course you can," he chuckled, "but we'll let Aunt Janet help out a little huh?"  
  
"Yes daddy, Aunt Janet is fun.  Me and Max will be fine.  Now go, you have a king to become."  I shooed him on.  I was looking forward to spending time with Aunt Janet, she was really a lot of fun.  Daddy being gone was sad, but not horrible.  
  
"Don't worry," he said again, "I'm sure you'll do just fine.  But, I...I want you to have this my dear."  He pulled a small brown box out of his pocket.  It was dark, and looked like it was made out of wood.  
  
"What is it daddy?" I asked, taking it from him slowly.  
  
"It's...it's your...destiny my dear," he choked back, it almost seemed difficult for him to say it, "it's..."  
  
Suddenly the door thrust open.  Aunt Janet appeared, she looked stricken and a little upset.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?," she almost shouted at my father," what do you think you're doing giving that to her?  Isn't it bad enough that you are abandoning her, but you have to give her that accursed thing."  
  
"You were watching us," my father accused, "and besides, I'd already discussed this with you.  We decided she would be better off growing up here with you.  I am not abandoning her!"  
  
"Yes, I know," she responded calmly, "and I am happy to take her, I'm sorry.  But she does not need that...that thing."  She took the box out of my hands, and held it out to my father.  
  
"No...no...," he said, pushing it back towards Aunt Janet, "she must take it.  If she can't have it know, then you should at least hold onto it.  It is her destiny Janet, you know that.  You know it as well as I do, Heather will someday have need of it."  
  
She took it back, and put it into an apron pocket.  
  
"Very well Malcolm," she said, using my father's real name, "I will hold on to it, but know this, I do not approve of this thing.  I do not believe that Heather will ever need to use it.  But, I will take it anyway.  Now go.  You have other things to do now."  She took a step back.  
  
My father kneeled down beside me again, and put his hands on my shoulders.  
  
"Heather, my dear Heather," he said, looking me into the eyes, "How beautiful you have become.  Your mother would be so happy for you.  I am so happy for you."  
  
He then hugged me very closely.  "I love you Heather."  
  
"I love you too daddy."  
  
Then, reluctantly, he let me go and stood up.  He stepped back, and nodded to Aunt Janet.  Red came to me, and nuzzled against my neck.  I gave him a hug, and could almost see tears in his eyes.  Then, my father turned away and began to walk back down the walkway.  Red turned and followed after him, the faithful Growlithe.  I was as happy as ever, Aunt Janet was a lot of fun, as were her four Meowths.  I was going to have a great time.  
  
Aunt Janet put her arm on my shoulders and began to lead me into the house.  I took one last look back at my father.  
  
It was the last time I would ever see him.  
  
I was very young back then, and I guess I didn't really understand what was happening.  
  
  


	2. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Seven years later...  
  
"Aunt Janet!" I shouted as I did everyday when I came home from school," Aunt Janet!  I'm home."  I was twelve now, and I might say, a very beautiful young girl.  I had my brown hair up in pigtails, which Aunt Janet thought looked "cute", blech!  I had dark brown eyes, which if given the right lighting and mood I could make look scary.  I found it kinda fun to make scary faces by just adjusting my face in the light.  
  
But I wasn't a bad little girl, I was good.  It's just that I find some bad things to be quite fun.  My life was good though; I had Aunt Janet, Max, Furball, Sylvester, all the other Meowths, my friends, and myself.  My life was very nice; I got along well with everybody.  All my classmates liked me, as well as all my teachers.  But all that was behind me now.  Soon I was to begin my life.  
  
"Hello dear," Aunt Janet answered me from the kitchen, "how was your last day of school?"  
  
"Oh it was great, and sad," I said putting my backpack down, and taking off my shoes, "we had a farewell party and all, but it's was a sad day.  Vanessa and Jenny, they have to stay here and grow up.  It was said having to say good bye."  Vanessa and Jenny were my best friends.  
  
"Don't worry dear, they'll be at the ceremony tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, I know," I said as Max came fluttering over to me, "I guess I'm just really excited."  
  
"I'll bet you are, now go get washed up for supper.  It's almost ready."  
  
"Okay"  I rushed off to the bathroom with Max right behind me.  I got up the sink, and began washing my hands.  I looked at myself in the mirror.  Tomorrow was the big day.  
  
School was over, and it was time to start the rest of our lives.  A lot of the kids in my school would be staying in Cerulean City to continue with the family business, only three of us would be going out on our own.  
  
Only three of us would start the life of a Pokemon trainer.  
  
I was one of the three.  
  
Aunt Janet was a sewing woman who worked at home, and I already head a starter pokemon, Max.  There was going to be a big farewell ceremony tomorrow, where all three of us were going to head off.  
  
It was a big moment for me.  
  
I finished washing up, and ran out to get supper.  My last meal at Aunt Janet's for a long time, and she had made my favorite.  Pizza!  
  
I wouldn't stop blabbering all through the meal.  I was so excited.  Aunt Janet, however, seemed distracted.  I didn't pay much attention to it though.  
  
I was so excited.  
  
*  *  *  *  
  
VVVVRRRRIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!!!  
  
I bolted upright in my bed at the sound of my alarm.  I whipped my hand around and turned it off.  I smiled at Max as he slowly got up himself.  
  
Today was the day.  
  
The big day.  
  
I ran to the bathroom to get my shower, and do all the necessary morning stuff.  I was so excited I barely got through it all.  I threw on my favorite jeans, and my best purple long-sleeved shirt.  I had picked out what I would wear days ago.  I was totally prepared.  
  
"Aunt Janet!  Aunt Janet!  Wake up!"  I shouted as I ran through the house.  I grabbed the backpack that was filled with everything I would need for my trip.  I found my shoes and put them in a place I knew where to find them.  
  
"I'm in here dear," Aunt Janet replied in a somber voice from the kitchen.  
  
The tone in her voice slowed me down.  Max perched himself on my shoulder like he always does, and I calmly entered the kitchen.  Aunt Janet was sitting at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of coffee off to the side.  She was sort of hunched over the table, hunched over what appeared to be a small, dark box.  
  
A small, dark box?  
  
The small, dark box.  
  
"What is...what is that?" I asked instantly recognizing what was before my Aunt.  We never talked about when my father left all those years ago.  I had only asked about the box once, only a few days after he was gone.  Aunt Janet told me that I would learn what was in that box when I was ready to learn what was in the box.  I was never to ask about it again.  
  
I wasn't ready to learn about that box.  
  
Until now, I guess.  
  
"I know you recognize what I've got here Heather," my aunt said to me in that somber voice, "you know exactly what this represents, and yet you have no idea what is inside.  I had hoped that this day would never come.  I'm glad you're going out on your own, I'd only hoped that I would find a good job that would require you to stay home.  But I couldn't.  Your destiny couldn't be avoided.  
  
"You are meant for great things Heather.  You are meant to go off, and start a new life on your own with Max.  I'd hoped this day would never come, but now I'm glad it has.  Come closer Heather, sit down, it's time that you faced your destiny."  
  
I moved slowly, staring at the box the whole time.  What was it?  What did it hold?  
  
What was...my destiny?  
  
I sat down across from Aunt Janet, and looked at her face.  She didn't look back at me; I guess she refused to accept this moment.  She then took the box, and slid it across the table towards me.  I took it carefully, slowly.  I wasn't sure what to do.  
  
"Go ahead my dear," Aunt Janet said, still not looking up at me.  
  
I opened the box from my past.  I opened the last gift my father ever gave me.  I opened this small, dark box.  
  
I opened up my destiny.  I took out what was inside.  
  
A small, shining, silver, flute.  
  
"A...a flute.  What?" I asked, not understanding.  
  
"That is a magical pokeflute Heather.  It is special, just like you.  I was...has been passed down in our family from a long time ago, and now it has come to you.  It has been slated to go to you since you were still in your mother's tummy.  Heh, the day is finally here."  
  
"What's it do?  Why's it so magical?  What...what?  I don't know anything."  
  
"You have to learn how to use it on your own my dear."  
  
"What, you can't tell me anything?"  
  
"No," she said suddenly, "come now, we mustn't be late for the ceremony.  Get your things, put that whistle away, where's Max?  Come now child, you have a big day to get to."  
  
I pocketed the flute, and grabbed my book bag.  There were so many questions now, and Aunt Janet wasn't talking.  Eh, I would take a look at the flute when I'm well on my way.  It would all be okay.  
  
"C'mon Max," I said to my pet Pidgey, "let's go!" 


	3. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Three  
  
There were a lot of people in attendance.  
  
I guess going out to become a pokemon trainer is a big thing to a lot of people.  It was to me; this was my future we're talking about.  Aunt Janet lived in a small community in Cerulean City.  We didn't live in the main metropolis part, but we didn't live in the boonies either.  All the people in town were there to see us off.  I was dressed in my purple shirt and jeans, blazing pink backpack on my back filled with foodstuffs and extra underwear.  Five pokeballs were attached to my belt line, including Max's, although Max didn't like it very much.  So Max just perched on my shoulder.  The pokeballs were a gift from Mrs. Harringway, our next-door neighbor.  She was very close, and was so happy for me.  
  
'Can't catch a pokemon without a pokeball,' she told me.  
  
There was a small, wooden stage at the center of the park we were in.  It was the ceremonial stage where all little children from this little community would start their journey.  A lot of kids my age had stood on that stage and said goodbye to their families and friends.  
  
Now, it was my turn.  
  
The two other kids that would be parting with me were Cid and Jeffrey.  Cid was the son of some high-ranking politicians, so he wouldn't be going into the family business.  Anyway, he has always wanted to be a pokemon trainer.  He loved pokemon so much.  The greatest day of his life was when his family took him north to meet Bill the Pokemaniac.  Cid had his pokemon, Punch'em the Mankey, stood center stage in all sorts of fancy, rich clothes.  Cid was kind of a snot, a showoff.  For all intents and purposes, this was Cid's day.  
  
Jeffrey was, well, kinda the poor kid in school.  He always had old, somewhat dirty clothes.  His family wasn't very rich; they really were down on their luck when it came to money.  A lot of people believed that Jeffrey's father was unemployed, and that's why he wasn't going to go into the family business.  At least that's what all the bullies say.  But that didn't matter to me.  As far as I was concerned he was about to be a fellow pokemon trainer from my little section of Cerulean City.  We were brothers- in-arms.  This was his day too.  Jeffrey was a really quiet kid.  Kinda mellow, soft spoken.  His pokemon reflected that.  Jeffrey had a Caterpie, which I guess was stored away in a pokeball.  
  
Aunt Janet led me through the crowd, and I stepped up on stage with Cid and Jeffrey.  Cid nodded at me, Jeffrey gave me a quizzical little smile.  We weren't exactly best friends, the three of us, but we bonded as much as we could when we learned that we were the only three going off to become pokemon trainers.  
  
There wasn't much of a ceremony.  Our teacher, Miss Hollinger introduced us to the crowd and said how proud she was of us.  I didn't pay too much attention.  I was busy going over the plans in my head for where I would head first.  I could tell Cid and Jeffrey were doing the same thing.  
  
After the short three-minute speech, it was time to mingle and let people come up and congratulate us and wish the three of us luck on our journeys.  
  
The greatest part of the day was when they showed up.  
  
Three of them, the gym trainers of Cerulean City.  
  
I loved them, the three sisters that now ran the gym in my city.  Someday I would eventually go there, and defeat them.  But for now, they were my idols.  
  
Especially Misty, Misty was my hero.  
  
But she wasn't here.  
  
Whatever.  
  
I would meet them, and Misty too.  Just now it was time to accept the various good lucks.  
  
"Good luck young lady," some tall guy said to me, "I'm sure this is your destiny."  
  
Whatever.  
  
*  *  *  *  
  
"Well, now where do we go," Cid said taking command of our little band.  
  
The ceremony ended.  We all said our last goodbyes.  Aunt Janet was really broken up, but I assured her that I would be fine.  I would be back to visit her someday.  
  
Don't worry.  
  
The three of us had long ago decided that it was everybody for themselves.  But that idea was thrown away as soon as Cerulean City was out of sight.  We were on a path heading towards the infamous Rock Tunnel.  None of us was really ready to go into that tunnel, but we knew that trainers looking for a fight were along this path.  
  
As well as wild pokemon.  
  
"I said," Cid repeated, "what do we..."  
  
"We heard you," I interrupted.  He wasn't going to boss us around just because he was rich.  "And I don't know what to do now.  There are trainers coming up, as well as wild pokemon in the forests and tall grasses.  Why don't you go and catch some."  
  
"Well I didn't want to leave you guys by yourselves," he responded, "can't let you go off and get beaten first thing can I?"  
  
"Oh, well thank you," I said sarcastically, "it's good to see that you care."  
  
Jeffrey chuckled.  
  
"Yeah," Cid shot back, "you think you're special Heather.  I don't think you're that good.  Let's battle.  Right here, right now."  
  
That shut me up.  Cid's rich parents had gotten him a good starter pokemon.  Punch'em was a high level fighting pokemon.  Max was still just a little flying pokemon.  Pidgeys were common pokemon that were found all over the place.  But I could win.  
  
Couldn't I?  
  
"All right smart-mouth," I said to him, "let's go!"  
  
"Guys c'mon," Jeffrey broke in, "let's not fight amongst ourselves.  Don't tire your pokemon out now, how will you protect yourselves?"  
  
"Shut up Jeffrey," Cid spoke, "it's time we settle things once and for all."  
  
Jeffrey stepped back, as Cid and I took our places across from each other.  
  
We stared each other down for what seemed like a long time, and then he broke the ice.  
  
"Mankey, I choose you!"  He shouted and launched his pokeball out.  Punch'em sprang from the sphere and landed between the two of us, ready for a fight.  "Go get'em Punch'em!"  
  
"Max!  Go!" I shouted.  Max swooped up into the air, and positioned himself in front and above the Mankey.  
  
"Punch'em!  Leer attack!"  
  
The small Mankey started a fierce stare down of Max, and I could tell it was affecting him.  
  
"Max, get out of the way!  Don't look at him!"  
  
Max regained his senses, and flew out of Punch'em's gaze.  He flew into perfect position.  
  
"Punch'em!  Karate...!"  
  
"Max!" I shouted quickly, interrupting Cid, "Quick Attack!"  
  
Bam!  The first physical blow was delivered, and Max scored first strike.  
  
"Karate Chop!  Karate Chop!" Cid shouted jumping up and down.  
  
Chop!  Punch'em scored a hit, and Max was down.  That was a strong little Mankey.  
  
"Max!  Get up!" I called out helpfully, "um...um...Gust Attack!"  
  
Punch'em sprang towards Max even without being told to.  But Max was faster, and he was quickly up into the air.  But not high enough.  Punch'em leaped straight up and grabbed onto Max's talons.  He hung there in the air, like two circus performers.  
  
   
  
"Hah!" Cid enjoyed, "that's great Punch'em.  We got them right where we want them."  
  
"Whatever you say Cid," I called over to him, then to Max, "alright Max, you know what you've got to do."  
  
And he did know.  This was perfect.  Punch'em was very smart when it came to flying I guess.  He was now totally at the mercy of Max and the wind.  Max began an impressive aerial display that any stunt pilot would be put to shame by.  He did loop-de-loops, barrel rolls, and all sorts of spins and twists.  We practiced his flying a lot.  Max was an amazing flyer.  
  
But Punch'em still hung on.  
  
Punch'em even seemed to be climbing up Max!  
  
"What!?" I shouted to no one.  
  
"Hah!" Cid responded to the stunt.  
  
Punch'em was climbing Max.  Other than a little ruffling of his fur, the little Mankey was unaffected by the wind.  He climbed straight up on Max until they were staring each other in the eye.  
  
Then Punch'em delivered that Karate Chop.  
  
And everything came crashing down.  
  
"Max!" I shouted as my bird crashed down to the ground, hard.  
  
Punch'em landed nimbly in Cid's arms.  I rushed to Max and knelt down beside him.  He didn't seem very hurt, but he wasn't very healthy either.  He had been K.O.'d.  There would be no more fighting for Max until I got him to a PokeCenter.  
  
"I told you Heather," Cid glowered, "you couldn't beat me."  
  
He looked around seemingly worried, something was wrong, so I looked too.  Anything to keep from tearing into the little rich brat.  
  
"And it appears that our friend Jeffrey has taken his leave."  
  
He was right.  
  
Jeffrey was gone.  
  
"Jeffrey!" I shouted as I stood up, "Where are you!  You can come out now."  
  
"Actually my dear," Cid said, "I noticed Jeffrey taking off during our fight.  He didn't want us fighting, so I guess he decided to take his leave of our little team.  As, I guess, will I.  A rivalry has now been started between us Heather.  And we can't carry on as a team.  It's time we take our separate paths."  
  
I stared up at him from my kneeling position beside Max.  I was actually glad to be hearing this.  I didn't really want to hang out with this punk to begin with.  
  
"Fine then, go!" I yelled to him, "I didn't want to hang out with you anyway.  I am more than capable to handle anything that comes up on my own.  You two were just slowing me down."  
  
"Yes well, I know you can handle yourself Heather.  So you'll be fine.  But I'd get that Pidgey to a PokeCenter soon.  And just to show you how much of a gentleman I am.  I won't take any money from you for winning.  You're going to need it to by all the potions you can carry."  
  
He laughed out loud as he turned to walk away.  
  
"Bye Heather," he called out, "I'll see you down the road somewhere.  We'll have to do this again sometime."  
  
He laughed again, and disappeared into the dusk that was drifting through the forest.  Good, let him go.  I don't need him.  
  
I don't need anybody. 


	4. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Four  
  
So I played the flute.  
  
I was pretty good actually.  I was impressed with myself.  
  
As, apparently, were the pokemon.  
  
I heard a call when I first started to play.  The song wasn't much.  I played this song from when I was a child.  Aunt Janet would sing it to me to put me to sleep.  I can't remember the words anymore, but I made sure to learn to play it on my flute in school.  It was a lovely tune.  
  
I stopped playing when I heard the call, it didn't sound like any pokemon I had ever heard, but then again, I hadn't heard many pokemon.  After about thirty seconds of not playing, only listening to the forest, a pokemon dropped down from the trees.  
  
A Rattata!  
  
A wild pokemon!  
  
"Oh jeez," I said drawing back, "Max, wake up."  
  
But Max was still out of it.  He wasn't going to be any help.  But I couldn't run, all my stuff was here.  And it was just a Rattata!  I could handle it.  
  
Couldn't I?  
  
"Alright little buddy," I coaxed, "just scamper off now.  I don't want no trouble."  I held out my hands.  "See, no food."  
  
Please go away.  
  
But it didn't move, it just looked at me.  Actually, it was looking at my flute.  The flute!  The strange call!  Maybe it was the Rattata?  Did it like my music?  Could I actually have fans?  
  
So I sat back down, the Rattata watching intently.  And I began to play.  
  
At first, nothing happened.  The Rattata just seemed to stand there.  Its eyes seemed to glaze over, and it just stared.  Actually, it appeared to be in a trance.  
  
Really, it was in a trance!  The Rattata started swaying back and forth, until it finally fell over!  It just fell onto its side, it was petrified!  I...I...I was just playing.  
  
"Rattata?" I called to it, "um...Mr. Rattata.  Are you okay?"  
  
I stood up, and walked over to it.  I kneeled down next to it, and took a closer look.  It still appeared to be breathing.  It appeared to still be alive.  I don't really know.  
  
Then, I got an idea.  
  
I could catch it.  Yeah, use one of my pokeballs.  It wasn't moving; it was stiff as a board.  It wasn't going to put up any resistance.  
  
So I walked back to the tree, and grabbed a pokeball off my belt.  
  
Wait, this was Max's ball.  
  
"What?" I questioned, "oh, duh."  
  
 I could simply return Max to his pokeball.  Then I wouldn't have to carry him.  
  
"Max!  Return!"  
  
The pokeball opened, and Max was zapped inside.  Alright then, Max would be fine.  Now, on to my Rattata.  
  
Wait a minute.  He was moving now.  Sure enough, the Rattata was no longer stiff, he started shaking, and his legs fell to the ground like they should.  Instead of hanging out straight like they were.  It was waking up.  
  
Then, as if answering me, it jumped right up all alive and well.  As if nothing happened at all.  I even snarled at me.  I guess it didn't like being frozen in a trance.  
  
The flute!  Where's the flute?  
  
It snarled even louder, and started towards me.  It was small, but it could bite, hard.  
  
The flute?  Duh, it's in my hand.  
  
I put it to my lips, and began playing the song.  And just as I had hoped, the Rattata's eyes glazed over.  He started rocking back and forth.  And then he fell over, petrified all over again.  
  
"I got you this time."  
  
I grabbed a new pokeball off my belt, and tossed it at the Rattata.  Sure enough, when it made contact, the Rattata was zapped into the pokeball.  
  
I caught my first pokemon!  
  
Yes!  
  
I can't believe it!  That must be the magic of the flute.  It was a tranquilizing flute.  Oh my god.  Of course!  It was all starting to make sense.  The flute lessons in school, the secrecy of the flute.  The song Aunt Janet sang to me.  It was all in preparation for this, my pokemon journey.  This was my destiny.  I could beat anybody know, I could catch any pokemon with just a little ditty from my flute.  
  
This had to be my calling.  
  
I was going to be a great pokemon trainer.  
  
But why all the secrecy?  This was a great tool.  
  
Whatever.  
  
Now I had to get Max to a PokeCenter.  
  
This was great; I was going to be great.  
  
My future was now laid out before me.  
  
This was great. 


	5. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Bustling.  That would be the word for it.  
  
Bustling.  
  
I guess a lot of people had hurt pokemon that day.  The PokeCenter, in Cerulean City (I didn't want to go back so soon, but it was the closest one) was filled with people that day.  I could only hope they had room for me.  
  
"May I help you?" an over-the-top-cheery nurse said to me.  She was dressed in the normal outfit.  She had red hair that was let loose, and dropped down over her shoulders.  I guess she would be helping me today.  Tee-hee.  
  
Sheesh.  Nurses.  
  
"Uh yeah," I spoke back, "this is, um, my first time in a PokeCenter.  I started my pokemon quest yesterday morning."  
  
Wow, really.  Yesterday morning.  
  
Wow.  
  
"Yes," she responded, "and do you have pokemon that need to be healed already."  
  
What!  Now she made it seem like I was some kind of loser.  
  
"Hey," I shot back, "cut me some slack.  It's my first day.  I'm just having a bad first day, okay.  I have a Pidgey that is out of it, and a wild Rattata I just caught that I guess could use a check out.  Okay?  Can you handle that?"  
  
"Yes," she responded, "where are they.  I need them."  
  
So I gave her Max and...uh...oh...just Rattata for now.  I would have to come up with a name for him some other time.  
  
"Okay, thank you," she said, "I don't know how long it will take.  We are pretty busy today, see me in an hour.  You can sit over there."  And she walked away.  Leaving me alone.  
  
Alone with my thoughts.  
  
I walked over to the "waiting room" part of the PokeCenter, surrounded by people waiting on their pokemon, holding pokeballs, or even holding the hurt pokemon themselves.  It was kind of creepy.  I turned myself away from the horror.  
  
All alone.  That was me.  
  
Jeffrey ran off, afraid of me and Cid fighting.  
  
Cid just walked off, upset with me for being such a poor trainer.  
  
Max was hurt, and would be for at least an hour.  
  
Rattata was...Rattata was just Rattata.  
  
And I was all alone.  
  
Except for my flute.  I had discovered it's secret, and now it was mine to use.  It took out Rattata, how about these pokemon in the center.  It was worth a try.  Let's just call it an experiment for the benefit of science.  The science of pokemon catching.  
  
So I brought the flute to my lips.  
  
And I began to play my song.  
  
And got just the reaction I hoped for.  
  
I first noticed it in the eyes of the Charmander across from me with a cast on its leg.  Its eyes just seemed to glaze over, like they were staring off into eternity.  
  
"Hey, my pokemon!" the voice called from across the room.  
  
"What's happening," another wondered.  
  
All the pokemon in the room suddenly went stiff.  They were all affected by the tune coming out of my flute.  All of the pokemon, which just made me happier.  I got Psyducks, Jigglypuffs, Zubats, grass pokemon, water pokemon.  This PokeCenter had all different kinds and species of pokemon, and all of them were affected by my song.  
  
I stopped playing, and put the flute away.  I hope nobody suspected me.  
  
"What's wrong!" a voice cried.  
  
"Pauly!  C'mon Pauly, wake up," someone else whined.  
  
Hah, beautiful.  
  
I stood up, and headed for the door.  I had an hour to kill until Max and Rattata were out of the PokeCenter.  Now, it may be even longer.  I supposed some people might waste time, and try to figure out how all of this went about.  But that was people for you; trying to understand something I didn't even truly understand.  And I was the one who caused it.  
  
I loved it.  My very own secret weapon.  
  
I chuckled to myself as I walked out the door.  The sun hit me rather abruptly, I shaded my eyes.  I had only been to the main city part of Cerulean a couple of times.  It was kind of a special event to come up here.  The shops, PokeMarts, the clothing stores.  A shopping wonderland.  And I did have a couple of bucks.  
  
And I did have an hour.  
  
Oh, what the heck.  
  
*  *  *  *  
  
"Hello, may I help you," my nurse said to me.  
  
"Yeah, I was here an hour ago, and I dropped off my two pokemon.  You said come back in an hour.  So, here I am."  
  
"Oh yes, I remember, I guess.  Let me see if I can find them.  You will have to forgive me a little, we had this weird...event earlier.  All the pokemon suddenly went stiff and rigid."  Blah, blah, blah.  
  
"Ah, here we are.  A Pidgey, and a Rattata.  All fresh and new, just for you."  She winked at me with the rhyme.  Jeez, what a fruit.  
  
"Yes, thank you," I took them.  And I walked out the door.  My new clothes, and various potions and antidotes were in my backpack.  I would have to win some fights pretty soon, and earn some money.  
  
"Guess what guys," I said to the pokeballs, "we're going to go places now."  
  
I had seen the sights.  I had gotten my pokemon back.  And I had decided a while ago that I wasn't going back to my little community in Cerulean City already.  So there was nothing left but head out into the world and start some fights.  
  
I walked to the edge of town, stopping for a second to just stare at the gym, Misty's gym.  My hero.  Then it was off to my next destination.  I figured that I would go to Vermilion City next.  There were some good trainers on the way; also, I could visit the Pokemon Fan Club.  It was a stop that every pokemon trainer should stop at.  
  
It was a nice day out; the sun was out and bright.  To think, this was only my second day as a pokemon trainer, and already I was heading to my second city.  But, I could probably use some more pokemon.  All I had was Max, and Rattata.  But, I guess that would be enough for now, for my first fight.  
  
"Hey!" a little boy called to me, "let's fight!"  
  
You got it slick!  
  
"Squirtle!  I choose you!" he shouted, and launched a pokeball.  
  
"Let's go Max!" I shouted back with even more ferocity.  
  
The Squirtle took his place, as did Max.  It was going to be a showdown.  
  
"Water Gun Attack!"  
  
Oooh, he's going all out.  
  
Max easily dodged the attack, and swooped down towards the little creature.  
  
"Wing Attack!"  
  
BAM!  Squirtle was down and out of it.  This kid must have received his pokemon when he started his journey.  He didn't have a childhood of training like me and Max.  
  
"No fair," he whimpered as his Squirtle returned to its pokeball, "you...you cheated."  
  
"No I didn't, now hand over the money."  
  
"Here," he pouted as he handed over my victory money.  Alright, I've now won my first official fight.  The one with Cid didn't count.  That was just blowing off steam for both of us.  This little boy was my first kill, and it was beautiful.  
  
"Bye!" I shouted to him as he stumbled off.  Such a poor kid, even younger than me.  
  
Fresh off my first victory, I began searching the tall grasses for some wild pokemon.  I really needed some more.  I had the extra pokeballs; I needed pokemon to fill them.  Ah!  What have we here?  
  
A Meowth!  Oh joy, just like Aunt Janet's Meowths.  
  
My own Meowth.  
  
MEOWTH!  It screeched at me raising its claws.  
  
"Oh, aren't you so cute," I said to it as I brought out my flute, "I think I'll name you Bubbles, or maybe Tony if you're a boy."  
  
It swiped its claw down in a defensive act.  Yeah, it was really going to beat me.  
  
I brought the flute to my lips, and began playing the now familiar tune.  And, just as I had planned; the Meowth stared at me, it began swaying back and forth, and it finally fell over, stiff as a board.  
  
I tossed one of my pokeballs at it, and it was sucked inside.  My second catch.  
  
"Welcome to the team Bubbles," I whispered as I attached it to my belt.  
  
My first victory, my second catch.  I was finally beginning my journey.  
  
What a long strange trip it will be. 


	6. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Six  
  
And so the days seemed to blend together.  
  
I lived a prosperous life of catching wild pokemon and beating worthless pokemon trainers.  With the help of my magical flute I could catch any pokemon I wanted.  My collection now included a Vulpix, a Zubat, a Paras, all sorts of pokemon.  But I didn't need them in fights.  I had Max, and I had the flute.  That is all I needed.  Max was growing in levels, and I think he is very close to evolving into Pidgeotto, but not yet.  
  
I had beaten many pokemon trainers, ranging from little boys to timely old gentlemen.  It was glorious.  I even won my first badge.  
  
That's right.  I had a gym trainer's badge.  
  
I beat Brock in Pewter City.  
  
I had the Boulder Badge.  
  
I was pretty excited.  But it was only one badge of many.  I would need a lot more to eventually go up against the Elite Four.  I would have to beat Sabrina, Lt. Surge, and of course, Misty.  
  
I would someday have to return to my beloved Cerulean City and defeat my beloved Misty in pokemon combat.  But, it wouldn't be a problem with my flute.  I had fitted Max with some special earplugs, so he wasn't affected by the music.  Then I would play, my opponent's pokemon would fall, and Max would K.O. them.  It was easy.  I was getting a reputation.  
  
I was known the world over as:  
  
The Whistler.  
  
It was fantastic.  Aunt Janet was proud of me, as she said in every letter I would get from her.  I was a very famous pokemon trainer, even though some people were concerned with my using the flute to beat people at fights.  Some really snotty people considered it cheating of some sort, but that didn't faze me.  I was on a role, and nothing would stop me.  My collection was growing, as was my change purse.  
  
I had been all over the place, and then back again.  I toured the Safari Zone, and visited a Snorlax (but I couldn't catch it).  I played the slots at the Celadon City Game Corner and had a stay on the S.S. Anne.  I was a hero to some, a villain to others.  But none of that really mattered to me; I was an amazing pokemon trainer.  
  
I wasn't good enough to attract the attention of any big time guns yet, but I was the top of all the small levels of trainers.  Whistler was a champion in training.  Bound for greatness.  It was a beautiful time.  Possibly the greatest time in my life.  
  
I was way past due for an abrupt change in plans.  
  
*  *  *  *  
  
I moved swiftly through the brush.  
  
My objective was close, I could feel it.  
  
I hugged the ground, running hunched over to stay hidden.  I was close.  I heard the screech of the Pidgey in the air, but I kept moving.  Time was of the essence, and not to be wasted.  
  
I stood.  It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was just beginning to set.  Cool, but not cold.  Perfect.  I pulled some grass out of the ground and tossed it into the air.  West, the wind was blowing west.  I crouched down on the ground again, and took off.  I paused, and looked up into the air.  I saw the Pidgey was made the noise, and I saw where it circled.  That is where my prey would be.  The hunt was now truly on!  I sniffed at the air, I couldn't smell anything.  My senses were not that accurate.  
  
But I knew to keep moving.  It wouldn't stand still forever.  I was moving quickly, but also dead silent.  Just over the next hill, in the clearing.  Close, so close.  I could taste it.  
  
Now, on top of the hill.  Pausing to look around at my surroundings.  I was in a wood, on top of a little hill, and in front of me was a clearing.  And nestled in the clearing was my prey.  
  
A Nidoran.  Male.  
  
Slowly now.  Don't think too much about it.  Just make the kill.  It would be quick, it would be easy.  Slowly open the button on the pocket.  Slowly reach into said pocket.  Quietly draw out the flute.  Calmly bring it to the lips.  Position the fingers.  And slowly...  
  
FLIT!  
  
The dart moved faster than the human I could see.  I shot in from somewhere to the left of my position, and struck the Nidoran right in the middle of its forehead.  A perfect shot.  In an instant, even faster than my flute, the Nidoran was out cold.  The dart had put it to sleep.  I had lost my catch.  Correction:  
  
Someone had stolen my catch.  
  
My catch!  My Nidoran!  
  
"What!?" I shouted jumping up form my position.  
  
Max sailed down, and perched himself on my shoulder.  He started preening his feathers.  
  
"Yessss!" a voice shouted from the woods.  A male voice.  
  
"Alright then whoever you are!" I shouted to this person, "show yourself.  You just stole my Nidoran!"  
  
"Your Nidoran?" the voice said, closer this time, "what makes you think it's your Nidoran?"  
  
He came out of the words.  A boy, about my age.  He had rough, dirty-blond hair, which he wore at medium length.  He had on a dark green sweatshirt, worn-out blue jeans.  He carried small yellowish tube in his right hand, and a small bag in the other.  
  
He was cute.  Very cute.  
  
"You were saying Miss," he stood in front of me.  
  
"Um...hello," I said weakly, then, "yeah buddy.  I was saying that you stole my Nidoran.   I was setting up for the catch, and then you shot it and took it.  You took my pokemon!"  
  
"Hey," he responded, "I don't think so.  It was still wild; you didn't have your name on it.  Besides, I had him in my shot long before you would have thrown out a pokemon to fight it with."  
  
"Sorry to inform you slick," I shot back, "but I don't catch pokemon by weakening them.  I don't suppose a loser like you would have heard of me.  I'm...Whistler."  
  
"Whistler huh?" he said not impressed, "I think I've heard of you.  You're the one with the magic flute that knocks pokemon out.  Big deal.  I didn't hear any music, which means it wasn't your Nidoran."  
  
"Fine, you keep it!" I nearly shouted, "I can catch another any time I want to."  
  
"Okay," he said, "now that we're done fighting.  My name's Gavin."  
  
We shook hands.  
  
"Hello Gavin," I said, "I'm Heather.  Or, of course, Whistler."  
  
"Yes, and I really am pleased to meet you.  I have heard of you before.  Who hasn't?  You're a pretty big contender out in the field.  Like Marc from Pewter City, or that Gary from Pallet Town.  You're making a name for yourself."  
  
"Well thank you Gavin.  I guess I am pretty famous.  I owe it all to Max and my flute.  I'm going all the way to the top.  Most likely even Pokemon League.  Or even the Elite Four.  Elite Five would be a good change don't you think."  
  
"Don't get ahead of yourself there Whistler.  You only have one badge as the legend of The Whistler goes.  You're not that great anyway.  I out caught you."  
  
"Yeah, about that.  What's with the dart and that tube you got there?"  
  
"Oh, ahem.  Allow me to introduce myself Whistler.  I am Shooter.  Armed with these special tranquilizer darts I have created, I can put any pokemon in the world into a deep sleep.  So deep it can't even be countered with an Awakening.  I have this blow dart gun, which can launch these little darts at amazing speeds.  I just stick in a dart, and blow.  Then the pokemon I've aimed at is struck with whatever ailment is in the dart.  I have tranquilizers, poisons, even potions to heal my own pokemon.  
  
"I've also created my own solutions to load into the darts.  There is one that affects the nerve ending in pokemon, numbing their entire bodies.  I also have a series of element-based darts that can counteract the elements of a pokemon.  For example, a fire pokemon shot with a freeze dart will lose all fire abilities.  I've caught a lot of pokemon, and beat a lot of trainers with my weapon."  
  
 "Wow," I was impressed, "that's pretty impressive.  But how do you use the dart gun in a fight.  It can't be legal.  Can it?"  
  
"How interesting coming from you.  I believe your whistle there is on the brink of illegality."  
  
Illegality?  
  
"I get to use my flute in a battle because pokeflutes are allowed.  My just works in a different way.  Besides, it doesn't K.O. a pokemon.  And I bet you have some darts which can cause an instant K.O."  
  
"Actually, I don't.  I don't need any kind of dart like that.  And, to answer your question, allow me to introduce my sidekick, Stryker."  
  
In an instant, a Machop appeared in front of me.  Its appearance ruffled Max's feathers a little, but he was okay.  
  
"Stryker?"  
  
"Yes, Stryker," he answered, "Stryker is a Machop, obviously, and I have trained him to blow the dart gun in a fight.  It's perfectly legal if my pokemon does it."  
  
"So, basically we are both just pokemon trainers who rely a lot on equipment rather than pokemon.  We both only have level one pokemon leading our fights, but yet we both have big reputations.  Or at least I do."  
  
"My reputation isn't so bad."  
  
"I didn't say it was."  
  
"Okay then.  What do we do now?"  
  
"What do you mean what do 'we do now?  I'm going on to Celdon City to the department store.  You can go wherever you want."  
  
"Oh come on.  You're a nice person, pretty cool.  We could hang out for a while.  Make a name for yourselves.  Why bother joining the Elite Four.  We could make our own pokemon fighting team.  C'mon, what do you say?"  
  
What could I say?  I just met this kid.  This Shooter.  We apparently had a lot in common.  We both depended on weapons to catch our pokemon, and win our fights.  Also, this prospect of a team was actually kind of interesting.  My own pokemon team.  It would be perfect.  Me and Shooter, and then the rest of our teammates.  We would train, and learn to work together, and then challenge the Elite Four.  I met Shooter through my flute; maybe this was also part of my shrouded destiny.  My own pokemon team.  What could I say?  
  
"You know what?" I said to him, "what the heck.  We could hang out together for a little while.  We could try to make a team, like the Elite Four, or even that Team Rocket that's always in the news.  Okay Shooter, let's go."  
  
We shook hands.  
  
"Okay Whistler, let's," he answered, "this day will go down into history my friend.  This is the beginning of a new and better life."  
  
Indeed.  
  
It was. 


	7. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
I got the message in Vermillion City.  
  
Me and Gavin were doing pretty well.  
  
We'd go to different cities, win some battles. It was a pretty good life indeed. My flute, his blowgun, it all worked out pretty well.  
  
Gavin was a nice guy. He really was. We got to know each other pretty well. We became good friends. We traveled together, and stayed mostly in hotels. Gavin didn't have any badges, but we would work on that. We never battled each other; we didn't really want to know how that would come out. Stryker was a cute Machop. He was polite, and a very good shot. Gavin practiced with him a lot. Gavin liked guns, but not real guns. Gavin didn't like real bullets and real blood.  
  
He was all about just the tranquilizers and such that he used.  
  
He is a pretty good guy.  
  
Then there is Max. Max has become a Pidgeotto. It happened in a battle with a Flareon. The deal I had with the trainer was that I wasn't to use my flute. I agreed, but still I kicked his butt. Hah! And right then and there, Max evolved into a Pidgeotto. It was a glorious moment.  
  
I wrote to Aunt Janet about it.  
  
I wrote to Aunt Janet a lot. I told her of all my adventures. She was very interested in what I was doing.  
  
She was glad to hear about Gavin. A little to happy to know I had a new friend. But adults are weird when it comes to girls and boys hanging out. Heh. But the important thing this time around was Max. So I sent her another letter.  
  
The message I got back was from Mrs. Harringway, our next-door neighbor.  
  
It came with a newspaper clipping.  
  
Cerulean City Burns, Watery Fire.  
  
There had been a fire.  
  
A pretty big fire.  
  
My home neighborhood had burned down. Not all of Cerulean City, just my neighborhood.  
  
Nobody knew how the fire started, only that it did.  
  
And that it burned down the entire neighborhood.  
  
Home!  
  
I had to get home!  
  
* * * *  
  
Mrs. Harringway met me and Gavin at the train station.  
  
She was dressed in black.  
  
As were we.  
  
It was a sad day. A horrible day.  
  
Everyone was dead.  
  
Aunt Janet was dead.  
  
The fire consumed the whole street, my entire neighborhood. All of it, gone.  
  
I didn't cry. I wouldn't let myself cry.  
  
Gavin tried to comfort me.  
  
I wouldn't allow anyone to comfort me. I was sad, but I would be okay.  
  
Aunt Janet was dead. My entire world was dead.  
  
The Global Police suspect arson.  
  
That means somebody started the fire.  
  
Somebody was out there; the person who killed Aunt Janet was out there.  
  
I would find that someone.  
  
* * * *  
  
The service was beautiful, of course.  
  
The neighborhood used to be beautiful.  
  
Aunt Janet used to be beautiful.  
  
But now she was dead, they were all dead.  
  
The only thing left was revenge.  
  
I stood in the middle of the street. The street where I used to live. Staring at the house in which I used to live. It was burned. Everything was burned. I could still see the wallpaper inside the house. It was so...so unbelievable. I looked down the street; each house was just like the others. Burned out and destroyed. Burned out cars littered the sides of the street. The air itself seemed gray and sad. It was a horrible day.  
  
"It's going to be okay Heather," Gavin said to me, he had his arm around my shoulders. It was comforting. Max flew through the air high above.  
  
"Of course it is," I answered calmly, "it will always be okay.  
  
"You sound so morbid Heather," Gavin commented, "c'mon. Talk to me."  
  
"No Gavin," I said, "I have to face this myself."  
  
"I don't know," Gavin said plainly.  
  
"Of course you don't know," someone called from behind us.  
  
I turned suddenly to see a young boy squatting on one of the cars.  
  
"Hello Heather," Cid said to me, "long time no see."  
  
"Cid?" I asked. Cid? Cid was here.  
  
"Who are you?" Gavin asked defensively.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing," Cid said to Gavin with a hint of attitude.  
  
Cid was squatting on the car; his Mankey was perched on his shoulder. He was dressed in a navy blue buttoned-down long sleeved shirt. He had black pants, and gray sneakers. His hair was gelled, and looked picture perfect. The sun just happened to be to his left. It cast him partly in the shadows. The sun was setting, and the sky was orangish, but still dark feeling.  
  
"Cid," I said, moving closer to him, "oh Cid, look at this. Look what's happened."  
  
Cid stood up.  
  
"Please leave us," he said to Gavin.  
  
"But...I," Gavin protested.  
  
"Gavin please," I insisted, "please go, down the street a little bit. I want...I need to talk to Cid."  
  
"Okay," he said reluctantly to me, "but remember, I'll just be right down there."  
  
He moved down the road to look at another house. Max flew down to him, and Gavin started playing with him.  
  
I turned back to Cid.  
  
"Cid?" I asked, "Are you okay? I know you lost your..."  
  
"It was arson Heather," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yes Cid," I said, "I know. That's what the police say."  
  
"I know who lit the fire Heather," Cid said.  
  
"What!?" I asked with a start, "who?"  
  
"Here," he tossed a crumpled piece of paper at me. I grabbed it from the air and unfolded it. It said:  
  
Dear Cid, Jeffrey, and Heather,  
  
Greetings pokemon trainers from this part of Cerulean City. I will be frank.  
  
I am from Team Rocket. You have something that is ours. You have something we  
  
want. We are very powerful. We are larger than even the Global Police know.  
  
You have something that belongs to us, and we will do whatever it takes to get it  
  
back. This fire was just a small example of our power. Don't try to run or hide.  
  
We will find you. Have a good day.  
  
Team Rocket  
  
I looked at the letter for a long time. I reread it twice, three times. I couldn't believe it.  
  
Team Rocket. What the hell was Team Rocket?  
  
They were some stupid terrorist organization or something, right?  
  
But that wasn't the worst part. The fire, was because of me.  
  
The letter was addressed to me, I had something they wanted.  
  
Me.  
  
It was my fault.  
  
"It was all because of me," I whispered, my legs turning to jelly.  
  
"No Heather," Cid said, "it wasn't your fault. It wasn't all your fault. It was all our fault. You, Jeffrey, and I. It wasn't just because of you. Now calm down."  
  
"Calm down!" I shouted at him, "Calm down! How do you expect me to calm down! My entire life is over. Some terrorists burned down my home and murdered! Murdered my Aunt Janet! All because of the three of us. And you want me to calm down!" I was almost in tears. The truth was horrible. I shouldn't be yelling. I didn't want to yell. I just had all these emotions.  
  
The horror.  
  
"Yes," Cid said calmly, "you must calm down. A lot of things need to happen now Heather."  
  
"What?" I asked through salt water.  
  
"Your friend over there," Cid said, indicating Gavin, "I know what the two of you are planning."  
  
"Wha...what are we planning?" I asked, hanging on to his every word.  
  
"Your team, the one you are planning to create. That is a wonderful idea Heather, and you must go through with it. Create your team, and you must challenge Team Rocket. They are powerful Heather. This is just the beginning. They want something, and they won't stop until they get what they want."  
  
I looked up at him.  
  
"Or until they are forced to stop," he said, "you are the one to stop Team Rocket. You, and Gavin, and the warriors you gather. Only you can stop them Heather."  
  
"What about you?" I asked him, no longer crying, but understanding.  
  
He looked down at me. Then he smirked.  
  
"I'm already involved in something Heather, something big. And besides. Heather, I have a goal. You're hero is Misty right?"  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"My hero is Lance, of the Elite Four. He is a master of dragon pokemon. He has very powerful pokemon. I want that. I want to be a master of powerful pokemon. Monster pokemon, that is what I want. And I can't stop that dream. It's calling me. The same way the fight is calling you. Only you can stop Team Rocket Heather. You must."  
  
He jumped down from the car, and moved over to me. He gave me a quick embrace, and then turned down the road. Punch'em was still on his shoulder. He started walking, in the opposite direction that Gavin had gone. Gavin had now moved beside me. He put his arm on my shoulders again. Max brushed up against my head.  
  
"You can do it Heather," Cid called over his shoulder, "I know you can."  
  
I watched him go. The direction he was moving, he was literally walking away into the sunset. It was so dramatic and brilliant. The sun was setting, and the sky was orange. He had already disappeared into shadow. We could still make him out, but he was all dark.  
  
"Goodbye Cid," I called to him.  
  
"Goodbye Heather," he called back, "until we meet again."  
  
And then he was gone. He disappeared behind a burned out house.  
  
"What did he say?" Gavin asked me quietly.  
  
"He said we have to fight," I answered plainly.  
  
"Fight who?" Gavin asked, the both of us still looking at the setting sun.  
  
"Team Rocket," I answered plainly.  
  
"Just the two of us?" Gavin asked in a hush.  
  
"No," I answered looking at him with hope in my eyes, "we have to find more."  
  
Yes, more.  
  
More people.  
  
Warriors. Find them. Gather them.  
  
And then fight. 


	8. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Two months.  
  
One week.  
  
Three days.  
  
That was how long it took us to gather a team of pokemon trainers.  
  
We found them all over the continent. From every city.  
  
They each had a special ability, or a special pokemon. Just like me with my flute, and Gavin with his gun. They were special, they were warriors.  
  
They were my team.  
  
There are six of us in all. We found four kids, all of them around our ages.  
  
We were gathered in a hotel room in Celadon City.  
  
First, there was me, standing in front of the TV, addressing my team. I was Whistler, and with my magical flute, I could paralyze any pokemon in a matter of seconds when I played the right song. I wore my brown hair in a short ponytail, and kept my face stiff and proud. I wore my favorite purple shirt with pink stripes at the shoulders. I had on my favorite pair of faded jeans. I looked like a kid, but I felt like a leader. I would be the leader of the team. My team. There were six of us, and so we had found the perfect name: The Master Six. That was us.  
  
Gavin "Shooter" sat in the chair next to the window. He was the first, of course. He had a blowgun that he could shoot with incredible accuracy. He had a variety of darts that each had a specific function. Gavin wore his dirty-blond hair a little longer than normal. It hung over his ears. He had on a dark green sweatshirt with the hood down. He had on blue jeans. His Machop, Stryker, could shoot the darts with deadly accuracy, but Gavin didn't kill. He was idealistic. I hoped that this wouldn't come to killing. Gavin was a good kid.  
  
Rodney was next. He sat on the bed, his back to the headboard, his knees against his chest. Rodney was called Specks. His claim to fame was a set of goggles he had created to aid his pokemon collecting and battling. He had a pair that could see pokemon on an infrared scale. They could see pokemon based on the heat their bodies gave off. Another pair acted like super powered binoculars. And yet another was a super powered microscope. He had all sorts of goggles to perform different tasks; he kept them in a backpack he kept with him constantly. Rodney had short black hair, and thick-framed glasses. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt with a sweater vest. He also had on black denim shorts and white sneakers. Rodney's favorite pokemon was a Venusaur he had captured as a Bulbasaur and had trained for so long.  
  
Amber Lynn is the next member of the team. She lay sprawled out on the same bed as Rodney. Amber Lynn was called Velocity. She was all about speed. Amber Lynn had created a special device that she would attach to the handlebars of her bike. It was small, silver, and teardrop shaped. This device would cancel the air current that would push against her as she biked. The air coming at her, the air that would slow her down would not be there. There would be no friction to ride against, no wind to slow her down. Given enough room, Amber Lynn could travel at speeds approaching one hundred miles per hour. She could travel between cities very quickly. Amber Lynn was the only black member of the team. She had short black hair that she kept close to her head. She wore a bright red tank top, and black jeans. Amber Lynn was all about speed, and so she had the fastest pokemon around. A speedy Rapidash was kept close in a shiny pokeball.  
  
Every group has one, and Zak was the Master Six's. A comedian. Zak was always trying to make people laugh. He sat on the edge of the other bed. Zak was called Psycho, and the reason he was trying to make people laugh was because he didn't take a lot of things seriously. Especially pokemon fighting. You see, Zak was called Psycho because he was a master of psychic pokemon. Zak actually had a special pokemon; Zak had acquired the rarest pokemon of all. Zak had a...no no no, Zak had the Mew. He hasn't revealed how he came across it, but he says that they are partners. With Mew, Zak is the most powerful member of the team. Zak wears a black hat backwards over spiked blond hair. He has an orange shirt with black sleeves, and cargo pants that are two sizes too big. Just the way he likes them. Zak and Mew are a powerful addition to our team.  
  
The final member of our team is simply called Lindsey. No last name, no codename. Just Lindsey. Lindsey is quiet and subdued. She doesn't talk very much, and when she does, she doesn't say a whole lot. She sat curled up against the other headboard. Lindsey is a mystery. She was found by Zak living in the Safari Zone like an animal. She doesn't remember anything about her life before Zak found her. She doesn't remember anything. The scary thing is, however, her power. Lindsey doesn't have a weapon, or a special pokemon. Lindsey is pokemon. Through some mystery, Lindsey can transform into any pokemon she comes in contact with. She merely has to touch the pokemon, and then she will absorb that pokemon's DNA into her system. She then has to draw back that DNA, concentrate, and she will become that pokemon. She will have the powers and abilities of that pokemon, and she will also have her mind, she will still be herself. She was a mystery, but a powerful mystery. Lindsey had straight blonde hair that reached down beyond her shoulders. She wore a simple white dress like one would find on a doll. She was quiet.  
  
This was my team.  
  
My pokemon warriors.  
  
Shooter.  
  
Specks.  
  
Velocity.  
  
Psycho.  
  
Lindsey.  
  
My team.  
  
I am very proud of them.  
  
All six of us have only been together for a short time, and since then they have gotten along fine. They are all very friendly, and they get along well with each other. They all also believe in the battle against Team Rocket.  
  
I, of course, want revenge against them for everything they've done to..., for everything. Gavin is doing this for me, and maybe for himself a little.  
  
Rodney has been roughed up by them before. They stole a fossil from him once, and I guess he is still a little ticked over it. Amber Lynn has been approached by Team Rocket, they wanted her invention. She didn't want to give it to them, so they kept pushing. They even roughed up her family a little. Now she was going to get her revenge.  
  
Zak didn't have anything against Team Rocket. He was really just here "for fun". At least that's what he says. I don't really know why he has joined; he could do a lot with the power of Mew. But I don't want to know right now. I'm just glad he is with us.  
  
Lindsey is still a mystery. I don't know why she wants to fight Team Rocket either. She says that she feels some kind of connection with them. She wants to find out what that is. She is on the team possibly because of Zak. She really seems to cling to Zak. But that is okay.  
  
As long as they are a team, they will get along fine.  
  
I am so proud of them.  
  
"Everyone," I addressed them, "I would like to officially announce the creation of The Master Six."  
  
They clapped. That was okay.  
  
"You've met each other," I continued, "and I'm glad to see that you all get along very well."  
  
More clapping.  
  
"We mustn't wait any longer," I started, "we must act quickly against Team Rocket. They will be coming for me soon. And Rodney has some information for us. Rodney?"  
  
"Oh, okay," he started. He sat up straight, and all attention went to him, "Well, we're in Celadon City for a reason. There is a rumor that there is a secret base of Team Rocket underneath the Celadon City Game Corner."  
  
"And?" Amber Lynn asked him.  
  
"That's it," he answered, "that's all I know. I told Heather, and she says we should go there."  
  
"Heather?" Amber Lynn asked me.  
  
"Yes," I answered, "we will be going to the Celadon City Game Corner to see if we can find something out about Team Rocket. We'll leave in the morning. It will simply be a fact-finding mission. We'll go in, and try to learn all we can about what we're up against. As far as we know, there is no real force against Team Rocket out there. The Global Police are hunting for them, but they're not really trying. They can't get a lead on them. So it might be up to us."  
  
Zak gasped jokingly.  
  
Amber Lynn giggled.  
  
"Any questions?" I asked them.  
  
Gavin raised his hand.  
  
"What if we actually find something," he asked, "like some Team Rocket goons or something."  
  
"I hope we don't," I answered truthfully, "I don't want to get into any really big fights on our first mission."  
  
Zak raised his hand.  
  
"Yes Zak?" I asked him, preparing myself.  
  
"Can I have a sandwich?" he asked with a puppy dog look on his face.  
  
"Ooh," Amber Lynn spoke up, "me too."  
  
"Sandwich, sandwich," Zak started chanting, "let's have a sandwich."  
  
I smiled. Everyone else started laughing, except for Gavin. He was taking things very seriously, but still a smile found its way to his face.  
  
"Okay, hold on," I interrupted, "right now, I want you all to hit the local gym and training centers. I want you to practice with each other. We'll go to the Game Corner in the morning. Master Six, it's almost time."  
  
"Are we done," Zak asked.  
  
"For now," I answered.  
  
"Then let's go eat," he said jumping up on the bed, "sandwich! Sandwich!"  
  
Rodney and Amber Lynn joined in her chanting. They all hoped off the bed, and they headed for the door still chanting. Lindsey got up and followed them out the door. She didn't join in with the chanting.  
  
When they all left, Gavin looked at me.  
  
"Shall we go eat Heather?" he smiled.  
  
"Let's go Gavin," I sighed, "let's go eat."  
  
My team.  
  
My warriors.  
  
The battle was about to begin.  
  
Would they be ready? 


	9. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"Roof, all clear, over," Velocity's response came.  
  
"Thank you," I answered, "over."  
  
We had made it to the Game Corner in Celadon City.  A gambling paradise possibly run by Team Rocket.  That's why we're here.  The Master Six is ready to begin the mission they were created for, defeat Team Rocket and make them pay for all that they have done to us.  We've made quite a name for ourselves.  We've only been together as a group of six for about a week now, but our reputation is good.  Each member has a special talent, and that talent has gotten them famous throughout the world of pokemon training.  I have a magical whistle that can paralyze any pokemon into a frozen stupor, but enough about me.  
  
We were split into three groups of two people.  Each was staked out somewhere where we hoped nobody could see or suspect anything.  
  
Velocity and Specks were on the roof, it's just a good place to be to keep the look out for any armies of Team Rocket coming in.  Me (Whistler) and Shooter were inside the Game Corner.  Kids can use the machines, so we weren't really out of place.  Psycho and Lindsey were outside on the streets.  We were all connected by walkie talkies.  
  
Everything was going as well as could be.  I wasn't really sure what we were looking for, just Team Rocket stuff somewhere in the Game Corner.  I realize that we might not find anything here, but it's the best we could do at this point.  
  
"Streets are safe fearless leader," Psycho answers.  
  
"Thanks Psycho," I say.  
  
"Wait, hold on!  Oh my God!  It's a monster!  It's huge!  It's tearing through the city!  Oh help us!  Help us!" he yelled.  
  
"Psycho," I said as tough as I could through the walkie-talkie.  
  
"Oh Whistler, get help.  It's horrible.  Aaaaagh!  Ow.  Whatd'ya hit me for?  Hey that's my..."  
  
"Whistler?" Lindsey's soft voice came over the airwaves.  
  
"Yes Lindsey, good job getting Psycho off the walkie talkie.  I don't want any more jokes okay.  Just keep him quiet."  
  
"Okay Whistler."  
  
Lindsey and Psycho were a pair to watch out for.  Jeez.  What have I done?  
  
"Everything okay?" Shooter asked.  
  
"Yah," I giggled, "fine, everything's fine.  Let's head to the back."  
  
"Okay," he answered seeming a little upset.  I think Psycho unnerves Shooter.  Heh.  
  
We walked through the aisles of old ladies and down and out losers trying to win the jackpot.  I wasn't really interested in gambling in the Game Corner.  I had been here before, it wasn't anything really spectacular.  What I really remember from my last visit was one certain member of Team Rocket standing in the back of the Game Corner.  He didn't mean anything back then, but now, he was everything.  
  
We reached the counter in the back, and got a dirty look from one of the people there.  What is her problem?  
  
"Can I help you?" the other person at the counter asked us.  
  
"No thank you," Shooter answered.  
  
That's good.  Don't make a scene.  Don't get anybody involved.  
  
"Look," I whispered and pointed over the wall in the back.  
  
"Yer right," Shooter whispered back, "there he is.  Team Rocket appears to want to hide that poster or picture thing.  I'm guessing that has something to do with Team Rocket.  Maybe a safe containing important papers or something."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
We moved off to the side where nobody could see us.  
  
"We've found the guy, and he's guarding a poster of some sort.  We are going in.  Repeat: we are going in."  I say over the walkie-talkie.  
  
"Okay," Velocity said.  
  
"Yes," came the one from Lindsey.  
  
"Okay Shooter," I said putting the walkie-talkie back into its pouch on my side, "here we go."  
  
We walked slowly and nonchalantly towards the guy.  We were not trying very hard to remain hidden or sneaky.  Who cares if someone finds out what we're doing.  The more people that know that The Master Six are after Team Rocket the better.  
  
"Hello kids," the man said when he realized we were heading for him, "how may I help you?"  
  
Me and Gavin exchanged a glance.  He we go.  
  
"Well," I began, "for starters you can tell us what is up with that poster behind you."  
  
"What is behind me has no meaning to you Miss.  So please go away."  
  
We exchanged another glance, this one a little goofily as part of the act.  
  
"I'm afraid that we aren't going to leave until you show us what is behind you."  
  
"Oh really, get out of here punk," he said, obviously not taking us seriously.  
  
"Alright, that does it!" Shooter shouted, all part of the act, "I challenge you to a pokemon battle.  I'll teach you to tell my friend no.  Machoke!  I choose you!"  
  
He launched his pokeball out, and in an instant Stryker the Machoke appeared ready to fight.  Quickly and quietly Shooter slipped his blowgun to Stryker.  
  
"You got it kid," the Team Rocket member said, "I'll teach you to stick your nose in other people's business.  Arbok, go."  
  
Then, to match Stryker, a ten-foot-long snake appeared out of a pokeball.  Team Rocket liked to use poisonous pokemon and such.  We were prepared for an Arbok.  
  
"Arbok!  Bite Attack!"  
  
The Arbok reared its head back, opened its hood, and stuck faster than the eye could see at Stryker.  It connected, and the Arbok retreated a little after the attack.  Stryker was down, but that was just a ruse.  
  
Slowly, Stryker stood back up.  The Bite had hurt, but only a little.  Then, before the Arbok could do anything, Stryker whipped the blowgun to his lips and shot a dart at the Arbok even faster than the Arbok's attack.  Then little dart flew through the air, and stuck the Arbok right between the eyes.  
  
It was down in a matter of seconds.  Stryker returned to his pokeball.  
  
"Satisfied?" Shooter asked the Team Rocket guy.  
  
He held his hand over his mouth, and slid down the wall in surprise, possibly horror.  
  
"You...you're that...that guy," he stumbled over the words, "and you...you must be the girl the boss is after.  Holy crap!"  
  
With that he was off the ground and sprinting towards the door.  Well, they now know that we're here, so let's get this party started.  
  
"That was pretty good Whistler, he'll alert somebody real quick and then all of Team Rocket will be down on us," Shooter told me,  
  
"but at least you were right that somebody here is looking for you."  
  
"Yep, so let's see what's with this poster."  
  
I lifted the poster off the wall.  Underneath was something of a lever.  I guess I'm supposed to pull it...  
  
"Whistler, come in Whistler," Psycho's voice came over the walkie-talkie, "Whistler what just happened in there.  The guy you were looking for just ran out of here a top speed.  I mean, this guy was doin' at least ninety in a thirty zone."  
  
"He's the guy we were looking for alright Psycho," I answered, "he pokemon- fought Shooter, Shooter used his gun and the guy recognized that ability.  He then recognized me and took off.  We assume he's going to find someone and that Team Rocket as a whole might be here soon.  So be on the lookout.  We think that we've found something very important.  Maybe what we're looking for.  So just sit tight."  
  
I didn't even comment that Psycho was back on the walkie-talkie.  I didn't have the time.  
  
"It's a lever," Shooter stated, "guess you better pull it."  
  
"I guess so," I responded, "maybe it will open up into the safe or something."  
  
I reached out and grabbed the lever, then I gave it a quick little tug.  It easily came down, only it didn't open up into anything.  It actually opened something else.  
  
A door suddenly opened in the wall further down the way.  
  
Like in a movie.  
  
"Whoa," Shooter gawked.  
  
"Cool," I answered.  
  
"I guess we go down."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've come this far.  We can't back down.  The Master Six are supposed to be tough, right?  So let's not back down.  Let's go."  
  
"Well, okay.  Let me just tell everyone first."  
  
Then, on the walkie-talkie: "Attention, Master Six.  Attention.  The guy that we chased out of here was guarding a secret lever that has opened a door in the wall that will lead to somewhere that we don't know.  But guess what, we're going to go find out."  
  
"Thatta girl Whistler.  Show'em what for," Psycho said.  
  
"Okay Whistler," Velocity responded, "listen up.  As for going down that whole, knock yourself out.  But listen, Specks is using some high-powered binoculars, and he can see Team Rocket coming.  They are at least a couple of miles away.  You only have a matter of minutes."  
  
"What does that mean exactly?" I asked.  
  
"It means you can go in your hole, but we're comin' with ya," Psycho tossed in.  
  
"What?" I asked, "don't come in.  We can't have everyone get busted by Team Rocket."  
  
"What do you mean busted Whistler," Psycho argued, "I say everyone go down, separately in pairs, and we still try and find something.  This is the perfect chance to fight off Team Rocket.  Anyway, I'm not just gonna sit by and watch them come get you.  The decision is out of your hands Whistler.  We're all going in, we've got to find something or fight somebody."  
  
"Nice speech Psycho," Specks responded, now on the walkie-talkie, "and I agree.  I think we should all go in and accomplish something.  Velocity and I won't be able to use our equipment to its fullest potential, but that's okay.  We should all go in, and quickly because Team Rocket is coming."  
  
"Okay, fine," I settled, "we'll all go in.  First, it will be me and Shooter.  Then Psycho and Lindsey.  And finally Specks and Velocity.  That's how it will be done.  We all go in, and everyone try and find something.  Fight anyone you want to, and if you meet up with anyone else from the team, join up.  Power in numbers people.  But of course, this could just be a simple broom closet.  We just don't know.  So Psycho, you and Lindsey wait two minutes, if you don't here nothing from me, go in.  Specks and Velocity, get off the roof now, then wait two minutes after Psycho and Lindsey.  Okay people, now it begins."  
  
Me and Shooter walked through the door, ready to face whatever we found.  
  
We had come.  
  
Knock knock Team Rocket.  
  
I'm here. 


	10. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"I don't see nothing," Shooter told me.  
  
"Of course you don't see anything, we're only at the bottom of the stairs."  
  
We went through the secret doorway, and that really turned out to be a staircase leading down.  So, we went down.  And now we had found ourselves on the floor below the famous Celadon City Game Corner.  
  
"Well, there is another staircase down over there, but there is also a whole floor to inspect.  What do we do?" Shooter asked.  
  
"I say that we go down another floor.  The others will be coming quickly enough, and I assume at least one group will stay here and look around.  We should keep apart for at least a little while.  Two people sneaking around is a lot easier than six people sneaking around together.  Let's go."  
  
So we descended yet another flight of stairs, and we found ourselves at yet another basement level of the Game Corner.  
  
"Let's look around here.  What we're looking for exactly, I don't know.  So...let's go."  
  
We worked our way through the hallways and passageways.  We were playing it really spy-like, all sorts of sneaking in the shadows.  I mean, c'mon, we weren't real spies or anything.  I had no idea if I was really doing it right.  So far we hadn't seen any people.  But we were playing it safe anyway.  
  
"Hey, Whistler," Shooter spoke up, "I don't mean to diss your flute or rip on your way of life or anything, but I want you to be protected in case we run into anybody who won't run if you beat their pokemon."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"Here," he gave me a small gun, "it's a miniature of my dart pistol.  It doesn't have the power or anything of the original, but it will still shoot a tranquilizer dart that might be able to knock out a person.  I don't really use it for that reason, but you should do okay.  I mean, I've got my gun, and I know it will have the ability to knock out anybody.  I've got it armed with a dart that will take down a Dewgong.  Tranquilizers only, I don't want to kill any on Team Rocket."  
  
I frowned at him.  
  
"Not yet at least.  I want revenge and all Heather, but I don't know how ready I am to kill anybody."  
  
"Yeah, I guess not, yet.  And it's Whistler while we're on a mission.  And thanks for the gun."  
  
We proceeded to stalk through the halls in search of something, anything.  This was a really empty place.  Which is really suspicious.  
  
We found the next set of stairs leading down, but I decided that we would stay here, on this floor.  I'm sure that we will find something soon.  
  
And, in a sense, we did.  
  
"Would you look at this," Shooter commented on the room we had just found.   Yet it wasn't like a room.  We didn't open any doors, the hallway just emptied out into this wide-open room.  There were walls all around, like in a maze.  They were just put up anywhere and at all sorts of angles.  In the corner where two walls met there was usually a little "pad" of some sort.  They glowed a kind of green, and had arrows that pointed in different directions.  If you followed the arrows, they would lead you down a path until you came to a "stopper pad" I guess.  
  
It all looked kind of weird, and also kind of fun.  
  
"Look at this stuff," I added.  
  
"Be careful Whistler."  
  
"Don't worry, I'm very careful," I said as I stepped over to the first glowing pad.  I decided to follow the arrows.  So I stepped on the first one.  
  
"Whhhhhoooooaaaaaaa!!!!" I screamed as the pad launched me forward and spun me at the same time.  After about a foot and a half of spinning I hit another pad going my direction and my spinning was revitalized.  
  
"Whistler!" Shooter screamed from the sidelines.  But I couldn't pay attention to him.  I was on a wild ride, and it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.  I hit another pad, and was launched forward again.  I could feel myself getting really dizzy.  I bet that as soon as I stop, I am going to throw up.  
  
Then I stopped.  
  
But I didn't throw up.  
  
The stop pad had some kind of...thing to it that not only stopped me, but I wasn't dizzy anymore.  
  
"Yahoo!" I shouted in joy, "Shooter!  That was amazing!  You should try it."  
  
I turned around to see him, but he was gone.  
  
I whipped out the gun he gave me, and I whipped my head around the room.  
  
"Shooter!" I yelled, "Where are you!  Shooter!  This isn't time for games Shooter!"  
  
Nothing, no response.  Shooter was gone.  
  
"Dammit!" I said to no one.  Shooter was gone.  They must already be in here.  Team Rocket is here.  And they've already got shooter.  
  
And now they are after me.  
  
But I'm not going down without a fight.  
  
"Max, I really need you now man," I said as I opened up Max's pokeball.  
  
He flew out, and instantly perched himself down in front of me.  He was too big to perch on my shoulder anymore, I kind of missed it.  
  
"Okay buddy, this is it.  Our biggest moment.  I need you to fly through this room here, and find me a way to get out of here.  An elevator a doorway.  Anything!  If you see anybody else screech.  If you see Gavin, stay with him.  Okay?  Good.  Go!"  
  
Max took off.  He was a good Pidgeotto, he could handle that task.  So I just sat there and waited for him to return.  I kept my gun up, ready to fire at anything that wasn't friend.  I didn't have to wait very long.  Max was back quickly, and with a combination of me jumping and he carrying me, he brought me to an elevator.  
  
"Good job Max, now back you go," I returned him to his pokeball.  He wasn't small anymore.  I couldn't have him around cluttering up things.  
  
"Okay, let's see here," I said to the elevator," I suppose I need a, yep, I need a lift key.  Great."  
  
"I suppose maybe I can be of some service," a voice said behind me.  I spun around in time to see just the big, red letter "R" on the shirt of the person behind me.  
  
As fast as the eye can see I brought up my gun and shot the man with a dart designed to bring down big pokemon.  He barely had time to look surprised.  
  
He fell, and I hurried over to him.  He looked about thirty or forty.  I don't know, I'm a poor judge of these things.  All that was important was that he was Team Rocket, and he might have a lift key.  I searched his pockets, and sure enough he had a lift key.  
  
Gee, this was pretty easy.  
  
Maybe too easy.  
  
I stuck the key into the hole next to the elevator, and turned the sucker on.  An elevator would be perfect.  It would be easy.  The doors opened up.  It would be a cinch.  
  
Three men in dark suits stood in the elevator.  
  
"I..." I stuttered.  
  
"Hello Heather," the middle one said.  
  
Then the man on his left lifted up a club, and I went down hard.  
  
Everything went black.  
  
Uh oh. 


	11. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"Hey Heather," the familiar voice said beside me, "welcome to the land of the living.  Although I wouldn't call it living."  
  
 I woke up with a splitting headache, and my wrists also hurt.  
  
"Ugh," I groaned, "what happened?  Where am I?"  
  
"On a wall," Velocity, the voice beside me said, "caught by the enemy."  
  
"What!" I shouted, now fully awake.  I looked around the room and the first thing I noticed was that the room was full of all sorts of Team Rocket members and their pokemon.  There had to be at least ten members, each with a letter "R" on their chests.  They also each had a big gun in their hands.  Also, there were all sorts of Team Rocket pokemon around.  Arboks, Ekans, Koffings, Weezings, Muks, all sorts of pokemon, each of them looking as mean and evil as the men they stood by.  
  
The next thing I noticed was that I was chained to the wall like a dungeon prisoner, by the wrists.  Velocity was to my right, and Lindsey was to my left.  
  
"Looks like a girls night out huh?" I asked my two captured comrades, "How'd you guys get caught as well?"  
  
"I'm no good at fighting," Velocity answered, "I'm all about speed.  Specks and I were separated, and a bunch of guys surrounded me and brought me here.  Lindsey was also separated from Psycho and she isn't much of a fighter either.  She came in here just a few minutes after I did.  How 'bout you?"  
  
"They appeared in the elevator I had just opened, hit me and I woke up here."  
  
Then, one of the guards next to a door turned to it and knocked, "Hey boss, she's awake."  I guess the "she" was me.  
  
"Lindsey, you okay?" I asked.  
  
"Yes," was the only response I got.  
  
"Can you...um...transform and get out of here?"  
  
"Perhaps, but I don't like doing it."  
  
"It's for the team Lindsey, try to do something big.  Like a Rhydon, bust these guys up."  
  
"I can't do it Whistler, it would take too long.  They would just shoot me, all of us."  
  
"Okay, okay.  We'll save it for a better time."  
  
Just then, the door opened, and a tall, Italian man entered the room.  He was dressed in a dark tuxedo, with greasy black hair and an evil sneer.  I could tell instantly that he was bad news.  
  
"Hello all," he said with an evil laugh, "I hope my friends here are treating you well."  
  
"What the hell do you want!" I shouted at him with all the anger I could muster, "you can't hold us here for long."  
  
"Hah hah hah," he answered, "my dear sweet Heather, such the take charge leader.  I am Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket.  You are Heather "Whistler" Lapier, Amber Lynn "Velocity" Mason, and...hmmm, you look very familiar young lady.  Science officer!"  
  
Then a small little man in a lab coat ran into the room through the door Giovanni came through.  He ran up to the tall, dark man.  
  
"Yes sir?" he asked in a timid little voice.  
  
"That young lady next to Heather, does she look familiar to you?"  
  
"I...I, hmmm," he got a closer look at Lindsey, "my God!  It is her.  May I take her back to my laboratory?"  
  
"You're not touching her!" Velocity screamed at him.  
  
"Yes you may Doctor," Giovanni said looking at Velocity, "I want the results of your discovery when you are done.  If we've truly found her again, then all is well."  
  
Then two of the guards walked over to Lindsey, unchained her, and dragged her after the doctor.  Velocity was screaming all the way, I was trying to fight them as best I could.  Lindsey didn't put up a fight, it's almost as if she wanted to go...  
  
"Now then," Giovanni said bringing the attention back to himself," back to the matters at hand."  
  
"What are you going to do to her you monster!?" Velocity shouted at him.  
  
"What I do to her is none of your concern Miss Mason!" Giovanni shouted at her, "you should be more concerned with what I do to you.  Ahem!  My dear ladies, we are now in the sixth sub-basement of the Celadon City Game Corner.  As you know, only the first floor is open to the public, and then the next four floors down are operated by Team Rocket.  Then the next two floors down are also owned and used by Team Rocket, but they are only known to the higher-ups in Team Rocket.  Only my most trusted advisors know of these bottom two floors.  There is no way out for you girls.  
  
"As for your earlier questions: I already have the things that I want from you.  If you could check your pockets Heather, you would notice that your flute is gone, as well as your pokeballs.  Amber Lynn, I don't know where you have stashed your bike and its...attachment, but I will get that information from you sooner or later."  
  
"What have you done with my pokemon!?" Velocity shouted at him.  
  
"What do you want with my flute?" I asked a little more calmly.  They had chased me for a long time trying to get it, and now that they finally had it, what would they do?  
  
"Your pokemon are fine my dears, in time they will be transformed into fighting warriors of Team Rocket.  As for escape.  Do not expect any help from the male members of your team.  They have already been captured and sent to the authorities.  They did not have any worthwhile technology to take from them, so we have already disposed of them."  
  
"What!?" Velocity shouted again.  
  
But I wasn't as convinced.  How had he decided that Specks' goggles and Shooter's gun weren't important?  And then Psycho!  He had captured Mew for crying out loud!  Giovanni didn't think that was important.  What was he playing?  
  
"You see, I know all about your little gang here.  Trying to defeat Team Rocket after we burned down your little town.  Poor Aunt Janet didn't stand a chance."  
  
"You bastard!" I finally shouted letting go of everything, "why did you do it?  Why!?  Just to get me?  Just to get that damned flute?  Why is it so important?"  
  
"You don't understand Heather.  That flute is not yours, it's mine."  
  
"What are you talking about, my father gave it to me."  
  
"Ah yes, the dearly disappeared Malcolm Lapier.  My partner in crime, creator of many wonderful little Team Rocket devices, including your little magic flute."  
  
"What, your partner?"  
  
"Yes Heather, your father was my partner a long time ago.  Then one day, he up and disappeared, taking the flute that could knock out any pokemon if you played a certain song.  We had to do much research and detective work to find that he had given it to his only daughter, and that she was living with her aunt in Cerulean City.  Then we just had to track you down, and get back what is rightfully mine.  The blowing up of the whole town was just an extra little thing one of my newest recruits wanted.  
  
"It worked though.  It got your attention.  You came back to Cerulean, and we were able to track you.  The involvement of one Gavin "Shooter" McCallister was not foreseen.  He prompted you to make this team, as well as Cid Tyrone.  This team, this Master Six of yours was not planned.  To think, there are six young children out there with a grudge against me so big as to break into my secret base and try to kill me."  
  
"Disturbing, isn't it?" I asked as sarcastic as I could, "or maybe it is ironic."  
  
"Perhaps it is," he smiled at me, "but if you want to see irony..."  
  
He then motioned to another door in the back.  The guards stepped aside, and the door opened.  
  
"Allow me to introduce you to the true mastermind behind the "blow up the town" idea."  
  
Then, a young boy walked through the door.  He looked about my age, only with a Team Rocket uniform on.  The red letter "R" was bigger than ever.  I recognized him instantly.  
  
"Oh my..." I uttered, "no..."  
  
"I believe he was a friend of yours Heather," Giovanni waved at the boy, "but I guess he isn't anymore.  I present to you...Jeffrey."  
  
"Hello Heather," Jeffrey said to me, so familiar, "long time no see."  
  
No.  
  
Jeffrey.  
  
It was him.  He burned down the town.  
  
He killed Aunt Janet.  
  
Jeffrey, quiet little Jeffrey.  
  
No. 


	12. 

The Master Six  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Jeffrey.  
  
Burned down the town.  
  
Killed Aunt Janet.  
  
Jeffrey.  
  
"Jeffrey!" I shouted at this nightmare, "what the hell are you doing here?!"  
  
"Poor little Heather," he said in a soft voice as he walked towards me, "how simple you are.  How simple you have always been.  Yes, it was I.  I did it all, the entire plan was mine.  All to get at you."  
  
"Why!?" I shouted at him again, "what...what?  Oh my God!  I just can't believe it.  You killed everybody!  Everybody!  For what?  For what!"  
  
"For me," was his answer, "you don't know what it was like!  You remember life back then.  I was the poor kid.  My parents were unemployed, and so I didn't have the latest clothes.  I didn't have the premium TV channels.  I was ridiculed for something I had no control over!  They hated me for something I could not help!"  
  
"What kind of answer is that."  
  
"Maybe it means nothing to you, but to me it is everything.  I had a horrible life, horrible!  I could have killed myself at the age of ten except that suicide was the coward's way out.  I wasn't a coward.  I was strong, stronger than anybody knew, but then nobody wanted to know.  I was Jeffrey, the poor kid.  But then, a chance.  I was going to be a pokemon trainer, with the richest kid in school, and a cool, nice girl.  I finally had a chance.  
  
"Then you talked about splitting up and going separate paths.  That was sad, but I wasn't going to say anything.  Nobody would listen to me anyway, I was the poor kid.  Then, heh, we end up going together.  We stick together, and I'm happy, I now have friends.  I finally feel accepted.  But what is the first thing you and Cid do?  You fight amongst yourselves.  I fled because I knew we couldn't be together after something like that.  And so I was truly on my own."  He paused for a second.  
  
"Are you finished?" I asked with darkness.  
  
"Shut up!" he screamed at me, "you have no idea!  You lived a wonderful life, friends, family, you had everything.  I had nothing, and when I left you two fighting I didn't even have that.  All I had was a weak little Caterpie who never seemed to win.  I played it slow and safe after that, not wanting to be important or make a scene.  Then, just before I broke, I was offered a chance by Team Rocket.  And I took it."  
  
"Oh la la," I mocked.  
  
"Would you let me finish!  Then you will see my side of the story.  Then you might actually understand."  
  
"I will never understand why you would burn down our town!"  
  
"Be quiet!" he shouted as he backhanded me in the face.  
  
Then Velocity spit in Jeffrey's face in retaliation.  
  
"ENOUGH!" Giovanni shouted breaking our little reunion, "enough Jeffrey!  I have allowed you too much time to stand here and whine to the girl.  But the fact remains that she is here, and therefore your services are no longer needed.  Clean off your face, no, leave Miss Mason's spit on your face and go check on how Dr. Chambers is doing."  
  
"But I..." Jeffrey protested.  
  
"I SAID GO!"  
  
Jeffrey quickly ran out the door that the scientist used when he took Lindsey.  I hope she is okay.  
  
"Finally, we are alone again," Giovanni said when Jeffrey was gone, "and now we can get down to business."  
  
"What happened?" I asked him, "Why did you have Jeffrey burn down my home?"  
  
"Please my dear," he answered, "those are questions for another day.  Now, I have some questions to ask you."  
  
"Don't expect straight answers you monster," Velocity spouted.  
  
"Ah, Miss Mason," Giovanni stated, "always the tough one aren't we?"  
  
"You don't know anything about me," she responded.  
  
But I didn't pay any attention to their little verbal war.  Velocity had a mouth on her, and she wasn't going to back down to the leader of the organization we were formed to destroy.  But none of that mattered to me right now, my attention was elsewhere.  
  
My attention was drawn to a little pink line forming on a wall to my left.  There were guards standing in front of that wall, also their pokemon, and they blocked part of the line.  But I could still see it.  A little pink line drawing a rather large circle on the wall.  Nobody seemed to notice it, only me.  Maybe I was delusional, or maybe, just maybe, it was really there.  
  
I guess my interest in something other than his pretty face upset Giovanni.  
  
"What are you looking at Heather?" he asked me.  
  
"The wall..." I awed.  
  
He turned.  "What is that?" Was all he could get off before the little pink line completed its drawing of a large circle.  
  
Then it started to shake in the wall.  The circle just seemed to rumble a little bit while sitting in the wall.  
  
And all of a sudden the circle in the wall erupted from it.  It smashed into the two guards standing in front of it, and passed over the Muk.  The circle and the two guards flew through the air and rammed into the far wall and the guards standing in front of it.  So a total of three guards and two walls were now destroyed.  
  
"Wha..." Velcoity questioned.  
  
The answer appeared out of the shadows on the other side of the hole in the wall.  There was a boy my age, wearing a backwards, black cap on his head.  He had on an orange t-shirt with black sleeves to match the hat.  He also had on cargo pants two sizes too big, but that was his thing.  On his outstretched arm was a mouse-like little creature that looked almost like a cat.  The most powerful pokemon in the world waved its arms around in a circle, and the boy floated through the hole and into the room.  
  
"I could give a corny line about crashing your party," Psycho said as he touched down on the ground, "but I'm too high on the adrenaline rush to worry about it.  So please forgive me if I don't make you laugh."  
  
"What is that thing on his arm?" Giovanni shouted spotting Mew, "if it is what I think it is, then I want it right now!"  
  
"Psycho!" Velocity shouted from beside me.  
  
"Let's kick it up a notch!" Psycho shouted.  
  
Instantly a pink wave washed through the room.  Mew was creating a powerful psychic wave to attack the guards.  All the human guards in the room were knocked to the floor before they could open fire on Psycho.  To his credit, Giovanni remained on his feet.  
  
"What are you doing!?" Giovanni screamed at his men, "Get up and get him!"  
  
One of the guards was on his feet, and he sent a rather large Dodrio at Psycho and Mew.  Then Psycho and Mew zoomed towards the Dodrio for pokemon combat.  
  
Through the hole in the wall that Mew had made, Shooter and Specks leaped out.  Shooter had the largest gun he had made, and was shooting little darts at both guards and pokemon.  Specks had a smaller version of the gun, kind of like the one I had earlier.  Stryker, Shooter's Machoke, came through the hole and used the blowgun that Shooter had made for him.  Specks' Venusaur followed Stryker, and the Venusaur was using Vine Whip Attack to take down various pokemon.  When all of The Master Six were out of the way, a rather large Rhydon erupted from the wall, and it charged everywhere.  
  
Wherever they had come from, my Master Six had just arrived to save the day with power.  
  
 In all the confusion of guards shooting bullets, Shooter and Stryker shooting various darts, Mew throwing all sort of psychic powers around, and the Ryhdon smashing through everything, Specks came over to me and Velocity.  
  
"Hey fearless leader," he said as he produced a key, "hope we're not late."  
  
"No problem Specks," I answered as he unlocked my shackles, "just glad you made it at all."  
  
He lowered me down to the ground, and then he moved on to release Velocity.  I rubbed my wrists, those shackles really hurt, I guess.  Not to look weak or anything.  In a second, Specks and Velocity joined me.  I looked around the room to see the destruction my team had done.  Guards and pokemon were strewn everywhere.  The Venusaur was busy Vine Whipping one last remaining Ekans.  Psycho and Mew were heading over to where I was, Shooter was coming my way too.  Stryker was gone; I guess Shooter took him back into a pokeball.  The Ryhdon was trotting over as well, and only now did I realize that it was Lindsey.  She had transformed into a Ryhdon.  
  
I watched Lindsey as she turned back into her normal form.  It was kind of mesmerizing.  I hope someday she finds out what is up with her.  I wish I could help somehow.  Lindsey is such a mystery.  
  
"Gee Heather," Lindsey spoke up noticing my stare, "do you find me attractive or something.  You seem to be very enthralled with me."  
  
"Hah!" Psycho burst, laughing at the joke.  
  
"I'm sorry Lindsey, it's just...never mind."  
  
"It's okay Heather.  I don't mind."  
  
"Hey Whistler," Shooter spoke up, "here's your pokemon and your flute.  We found them while we were looking for you guys."  
  
"Thanks Shooter," I said accepting the items, "but what happened to you earlier.  You just left..."  
  
"AHEM!"  
  
I took another look around the room after I heard the sound.  Giovanni was still in the room.  He stood off near the doorway with his arms behind his back looking a little perturbed.  
  
"Well, well, well," he said to me and my team, "look at what we have here.  Six little children trying to save the world and do the right thing.  It's kind of funny."  
  
"I don't see you laughing," I shot back at him, "all I see is six of us and one of you.  You have a lot to answer to you monster."  
  
"I have a lot to answer to, me. The great Giovanni, leader and creator of Team Rocket.  I have a lot to answer to.  Hah.  What a foolish little girl."  
  
"What are you talking about," I questioned.  I moved closer to him.  My team stayed behind.  I got closer, and stood face to face with my enemy.  Well, actually, he was taller than me.  So I had to look up.  But I was still very angry.  
  
"Look at you little girl," he told me, "so bold, so brave.  You stand face to face with your enemy, and you don't back down.  Even though I made you everything you are.  I created your magical flute that has earned you the name Whistler.  I made you, will you destroy me?"  
  
"My father made my flute!  You didn't make me, only in the sense that you killed my family and sent me on the mission to destroy you.  And that is exactly what I plan on doing."  
  
Giovanni started to say something, but his mustache came off.  It just fell of his face, and onto the floor.  
  
This wasn't Giovanni.  
  
"Hah!  Hah!" the fake Giovanni shrieked, "I fooled you!  I did it!  I did it!  I fooled you!  Hah hah hahahahaha!  The real Giovanni escaped when all the fighting started.  I was just to delay you a little.  Hah!  What will you do now Whistler, what?!"  
  
"Finish you, you fake," I said as I punched him square in the face.  I didn't know I could hit that hard, but somehow I found the strength.  The Fake Giovanni went down hard, and stayed down.  
  
"Now what?" Specks questioned from behind me.  
  
I heard a noise from behind the door where they took Lindsey before.  Someone was still in there.  
  
Jeffrey.  
  
"Jeffrey!" I said silently, answering Specks.  
  
"What did you say?" Velocity asked.  
  
I looked at the door, and heard another noise.  
  
"C'mon," I said over my shoulder to my team.  I walked to the door, and put my hand on the knob.  I looked over my shoulder at my team, my Master Six.  Five young...children.  Fighting my cause with me.  A lot of them had some kind of grudge with Team Rocket, but they knew my story.  They fought for me a lot; they did a lot for me.  I was proud of them, so very proud.  We had just been though our first official battle against Team Rocket, and we had won.  Now, they were lost as to what to do.  They waited for me to give an order.  I didn't.  
  
I opened the door.  
  
I stepped inside and took a quick look around.  The room was about as big as the one I had just come from, and had a number of scientific tables around.  I guess this was some sort of laboratory.  I hope they didn't operate on Lindsey or anything.  The most important thing in the room was a scrabbling little boy fighting to get a key.  I stepped totally into the room, and my team followed me in.  Velocity closed the door.  
  
"Hello Jeffrey," I said in a quiet voice, "long time no see."  
  
"Heather!" he shouted in a hush as he stopped fiddling with the key and turned to face me.  
  
"There is nowhere to go Jeffrey," I told him, "there is only death."  
  
"Listen to you Heather," he said to me, "are you going to kill me?  Can you bring yourself to kill me?"  
  
"Yes," I said quietly.  
  
"Oh yeah!" he shouted as he lifted a pokeball into the air, "Poliwhirl!  Go!"  
  
He launched the pokeball through the air, and a Poliwhirl came out ready to fight.  
  
"Bring it on Heather," Jeffrey tempted.  
  
"Give me a break," I chuckled at him, "Raticate!  Let's do it!"  
  
 My Raticate jumped out and faced the Poliwhirl.  
  
"You're a fool Jeffrey," I told him as I brought my magical flute to my lips.  He just smirked, but I played my little tune designed by my father and apparently Giovanni.  It was designed to knock that Poliwhirl out, but it didn't work.  
  
It didn't work.  
  
"Surprised?" Jeffrey questioned, "You shouldn't be.  Giovanni helped create that stupid flute.  You have made your pokemon immune to its affect by plugging their ears; you think I couldn't do the same.  Who's the fool now?  Poliwhirl, Water Gun Attack!"  
  
A jet of water shot out from the Poliwhirl, and hit my Raticate dead on.  This was going to be a real pokemon battle now.  
  
"Raticate!  Quick Attack!"  
  
My Raticate slammed into the Poliwhirl and sent it flying a ways.  But it was right back up, and was on the move."  
  
"Body Slam Attack!"  
  
The Poliwhirl body slammed Raticate.  
  
"Hyper Fang Attack!"  
  
Raticate hyper fanged the Poliwhirl.  
  
"Whistler!" Shooter screamed over the noise of battle.  
  
"Water Gun Attack!"  
  
"Focus Energy!"  
  
"Water Gun Attack!"  
  
"You're not going to win Jeffrey!" I shouted at him.  
  
"Bring it on Heather!" he shouted back.  
  
I smirked at him.  "Super Fang Attack!" I shout, and Raticate carries out my orders.  
  
The Poliwhirl goes down for the count with the Super Fang.  The battle is over.  
  
"Poliwhirl, return."  
  
"Raticate, return."  
  
"You haven't won yet Heather!" Jeffrey shouted at me as he reached for another pokeball, "what?  Where are my pokemon?"  
  
"Are you looking for these," Psycho spoke up as he held out Jeffrey's pokemon.  Mew must have brought them to Psycho with his mind.  Mew floated them away from Jeffrey.  My team was watching out for me.  
  
"No," Jeffrey whispered as he realized what had just happened, that he lost.  He quickly spun around and pulled out the key.  He fit it in the door, and he took off through the door.  
  
No.  
  
He was getting away.  
  
"Let's get him!" Velocity shouted heading for the door.  
  
"NO!" I shouted at her, "he is mine!  All of you, there is a restaurant across the street from the Game Corner.  It may be hard to believe that we are still under the Game Corner, but we are.  I want you all to leave, and head to that restaurant.  I am going after Jeffrey," I shot a look at Shooter, "alone."  
  
"But Whistler?" Psycho questioned.  
  
"No Zak!  This is my fight, now all of you go!"  
  
I ran to the door, flung it open, and ran after Jeffrey.  I hoped that my team trusted me enough that they wouldn't follow, they didn't.  
  
The fight with Jeffrey was my own, not theirs.  
  
Giovanni had escaped, but he didn't kill my Aunt Janet.  
  
Jeffrey did.  
  
He was my enemy, and I would make him pay.  
  
I ran down a long hallway following the sound of his footsteps.  Luckily when running in fear Jeffrey made a lot of noise.  
  
But then I heard a door slam, and the noise stopped.  
  
I ran faster down the hall, and I found a set of stairs leading up.  I took them, and at the top I found a door.  The door that slammed.  There was a very strong light coming from the sides of the door.  I put my hand on the knob, and I opened the door.  
  
It opened into harsh sunlight.  A blinding sunlight.  Apparently we weren't as far underground as I thought.  But when I looked at my surroundings, I could tell that I was still behind the Celadon City Game Corner.  My team would find the restaurant, they would be safe.  I would have to fight.  I quickly surveyed my surroundings.  
  
I was in an alley, with trash on the ground and dumpsters against the wall.  The most important thing in the alley was a scrabbly little boy standing in the middle of the alley looking down towards the open end.  He had his arms crossed, and didn't acknowledge me when I stepped into the alley and closed the door.  
  
"Hello Heather," Jeffrey practically whispered to me without turning around, "long time no see."  
  
"Cut the crap Jeffrey!" I said to him, "you have got a lot to answer to."  
  
"Do I?"  
  
"Shut up!  Jeffrey, you killed everybody!  My family, the people in the town, your family.  YOU KILLED EVERYBODY!"  
  
"Keep it down Heather, this is a city.  People will here you."  
  
"You jerk!" I shouted as I moved closer to him.  He was right there, I could pounce on him and rip him apart.  I hated him so much, and yet, something kept me back.  
  
"Jerk Heather?  How harsh, have you know feelings?"  
  
"Jeffrey," I pleaded.  
  
"You don't understand Heather!" he shouted as he fell to his knees almost in tears, "you never did understand!  Nobody did, that is why they had to die!"  
  
"What...what are you talking about?"  
  
"They all hated me, but nobody knew me.  I was poor, which was all that mattered to anybody.  They never saw past my family's financial problems, they never saw past my shabby clothes.  I was poor, and therefore I was unworthy of friendship or anything else."  
  
"Why did you burn down the town Jeffrey?"  
  
"Let me tell my story!" he shouted at me through heavy tears.  Still on his knees he turned to me, his face covered with tears, "I've told you a lot.  I ran from your fight with Cid, and Team Rocket reached a hand out to help me, to save me.  I joined Team Rocket, but I was a nobody.  I never really understood why the even accepted me; I only knew that they did.  And that feeling of acceptance was enough for me."  
  
I stood there, listening to him.  In a way it was sad.  But, he was still evil.  
  
"Then, then something came up.  Talk was going around that the people in charge were now all in an uproar about some girl causing problems.  They started asking if anyone knew anything about a young girl with brown hair and other features that all matched you.  This girl also favored a Pidgey, named Max.  And suddenly, I was the most important guy in Team Rocket.  Giovanni now had a lot of use for me.  I had everything I could want.  The people needed me, they praised me.  I was told that I could do anything I wanted to do in order to get you to show yourself.  
  
"Burning down the town was just an extra little perk.  But don't think me insane; burning it down was never really my idea.  It was actually the idea of a boy named Mathew.  He joined Team Rocket around the same time as I did, and we became friends.  He was my partner; Team Rocket members usually fight in two's.  It was Mathew that suggested I get the ultimate revenge on everybody by burning down the town.  Mathew was evil, he had a dark soul.  But he was my only friend, so I listened to him."  
  
"It wasn't your fault?" I asked him in a hushed whisper, but he didn't her me.  
  
"Mathew was...disturbed.  The town was burning, and he ran into the thick of it.  He told me that he had some more things to do for me.  I followed him into the town, and found him at my house.  He...he killed my family Heather.  I didn't do it, I barely did anything.  It was all Mathew, he killed my family."  
  
"Jeffrey, I...I.  But you still killed my Aunt Janet," I pleaded.  He still didn't hear me.  
  
"I wouldn't let him get away with it though.  It was really dramatic, I guess.  I chased him through half the town before I finally caught up with him.  He thought too little of me, he thought I was weak.  He thought I was afraid, but I'm not afraid.  I'm strong Heather.  I avenged my family, I killed Mathew.  Then I returned to Giovanni with the news that you would react shortly.  He wasn't very happy that I burned down the whole town, but whatever.  He asked what happened to Mathew.  I told him that he died in the fire.  I took full credit for the fire, the deaths.  I wouldn't be weak."  
  
"Jeffrey, you killed them all.  Mathew or no Mathew, you killed them all."  
  
"I know," he whispered, "and I will not be weak.  It's a beautiful world Heather.  I'm going to miss it."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You're going to kill me Heather, so come on, get it over with."  
  
"What?" I questioned, unsure of whether I could pull off this hateful act.  Wasn't I full of hate?  
  
"Don't act stupid around me Heather," he said boldly as he once again got to his feet.  Jeffrey now stood facing the end of the alley again, "I'm not going to fall for it.  I don't have any pokemon, anyway to defend myself.  I can't go back to Team Rocket now, Giovanni would kill me himself.  I have no future Heather, only death."  
  
"I...I don't think I can kill you Jeffrey."  
  
"Not is not the way to talk Heather.  You can't show weakness to the enemy.   You must kill me Heather, there is no hope for me.  Please free me Heather, free me.  I wrote that note Cid found in Cerulean City.  I burned down the whole town.  I killed your Aunt Janet!  I'm a bad man, I need to be killed.  I won't kill myself, suicide is the coward's way out."  
  
"Kill...you," I whispered barely audible.  I don't even know if I said that out loud.  Could I kill Jeffrey?  
  
"Kill me Heather.  Please.  Release me," the strong little boy begged.  
  
Could I kill him?  What was I to do?  Was I a killer?  The decision was mine to make.  Shooter wasn't here.  Velocity wasn't here.  Aunt Janet wasn't here.  Would Aunt Janet want me to kill Jeffrey?  No.  She wouldn't want me to.  To kill Jeffrey, to release him and myself.  Could I do it?  
  
Could I?  
  
It would be so easy.  Look at him, scared, yet strong.  I couldn't help but pity him.  That was the problem to begin with, people pitying Jeffrey.  I felt sorry for him, for all of us.  Look at what the world had done to us.  It had been less than a year since the three of us left Cerulean City in search of our futures.  And already one of us had killed a lot of people, and another one had become very powerful.  I was the powerful one, Jeffrey was the murderer.  
  
Yes, that is all that he is.  
  
A murderer.  
  
He deserves anything I would do to him.   But this has been a cruel world, on all of us.  He wasn't the only victim.  But he was possibly the most hurt.  
  
But he killed Aunt Janet.  
  
But in many ways a person can't blame him for what he is.  
  
He is what the world has made him.  
  
A murderer.  
  
The enemy.  
  
A crying little twelve-year-old boy standing in an alley asking to die.  
  
I had to do the right thing.  
  
But Could I? 


	13. Epilogue

The Master Six  
  
epilogue  
  
My name is Gavin McCallister.  
  
Or, my guts and glory code name is Shooter.  
  
I first invented a blowgun that could shoot little darts at amazing speeds, usually into pokemon to help mine win a fight.  The darts all carried some kind of special liquid in them, like tranquilizers.  
  
Over time I have created handheld guns and automatic machine guns that also shoot the darts.  But I still like using the long, hollow tube I put to my lips and blow, my blowgun.  
  
Right now, my friend Heather is hunting a boy named Jeffrey.  Jeffrey is apparently the person who burned down her town, killing her Aunt Janet.  I don't know what Heather will do to him, but whatever it is, he deserves it.  
  
Right now, I am standing at a counter in the restaurant across the street from the Game Corner waiting for The Master Six's order.  
  
That's my team over there sitting at the booth.  Look at them.  Heather and I gathered them, and we worked them into a fighting team.  Each with their own personality, each with their own motivation.  But together, we are a team, and we've just come from our first battle against Team Rocket.  
  
I watch them to see what they will do, how they will react to their first battle.  
  
Zak, Psycho, has two straws sticking out of his nostrils and another one attached to his hat.  He's trying to impersonate a Seel to make everybody laugh.  The people in the booth behind him scoff a little.  
  
If only they knew.  
  
Rodney, Specks, and Amber Lynn, Velocity, are laughing so much they're falling over.  Which is good, a team that laughs together stays together.  Right?  There is a bond forming between them, and it makes me happy.  
  
But Rodney and Amber Lynn weren't Zak's targets.  No, he knew they would laugh; he wanted to get Lindsey to laugh.  
  
Lindsey.  
  
There is a mystery for you.  We don't know how she got her "powers", and at times that scares me.  Of course, we don't now how Zak got Mew, but Lindsey's mystery is a little more important.  But, I'm sure we'll find out someday.  She fought well back there, and that's enough for me.  
  
Zak's connection to Lindsey is a little scary though.  The two of them joined together, which might mean something.  And Zak seems to really care about her.  He was really broken up when he found me in the Game Corner and told me he lost Lindsey.  No jokes, he was worried.  Then, he went mental when he found her about to be operated on in some makeshift laboratory.  There's something between the two of them.  
  
There we go, Lindsey laughed.  
  
Good.  
  
"Here's you order," a voice spoke up behind me.  
  
"Thank you," I answered as I gave the lady my money.  
  
I started back to the booth.  
  
Heather would be here soon, and I would have to tell her that we were still a team.  
  
The Master Six were created to find the murderer of Heather's hometown.  That was accomplished.  So then now what do we do?  We stay together, that's what.  
  
We're a team now.  
  
And nothing.  
  
Will break us up.  
  
"Hey Gavin!" Rodney calls to me when I draw near to the booth, "c'mon man.  Sit down and give with the food."  
  
I smile inwardly to myself.  
  
   
  
The End 


End file.
